Lost in transition
by How-not-to-do-something
Summary: Koko Hekmatyr's team was from all over the world. She thought they had seen it all. Until they met her...rated M for violence, language, and amateur writing.
1. Chapter 1

In the city of Brussels, capital of Belgium, the beginning of the day started off like any other. With the cold of spring giving way to summer warmth, the city came alive in a way that was at best uncommon. Cars honked, birds sang, and the sun shown. People from all walks of life embarked on their usual routines, whatever it may be. Students scampered to the schools, police strolled to their stations, workers walked to their jobs, and so on. Many of the inhabitants stopped to take a moment to admire the beautiful cloudless sky.

Along with the locals, the weather drew multitudes of tourists out of their rented dwellings. Most were there for pleasure; seeing the sights of a major city of the old world or to soak up culture. Others however, were in the city for business. Just as with the locals, the reasons for being in the city were as varied as the sky was bright. Such was the case of one group in a posh four story hotel in the outskirts area of the city, a high class occupation for well-to-do clientele. The day before, seven men, two women, and a boy checked in, intent upon resting for a day or two before moving on. Come morning, everything changed.

The hotel suite's bedroom was dimly lit. The blinds were drawn, and the door was closed. Not locked; whenever the rooms's occupant was in an unfamiliar place the door was never locked. An odd policy, but one that served her line of work. Though still early, the day's light was already considerable. But only a little bit of sunlight penetrated the defenses, just enough for a thin gloom. Too much to need to hit a light switch, too little to interrupt sleep. Proof of this state was gained by simply looking at the bed itself, at its current guest to be precise.

A young woman was splayed over much of the bed, taking up an unnecessary quantity of space. The rather expensive sheets were carelessly scattered around and below the bed. Her clothes were disheveled, consisting only of a plain white business shirt and similar underwear. The mop of long white hair atop her head was in the same condition. In daylight hours she was very ladylike, but at present little trace was visible. A light snore emanated from her open mouth. Deep rest, due for her last job.

An impact reverberated from the other room. She groaned and blinked her eyes opened, coming out of a restful sleep. The sharp mind behind her piercing cerulean eyes noted the light level, determining it to be early morning. With the time determined, she weighed the pros and cons of staying in bed further. The pro side offered more of the lazy sleep she previously enjoyed. The con warned that she would be woke up, or if necessary dragged out of bed soon anyway. After a minute of sluggish debate the latter faction won out.

Rising from the bed like a cheap horror movie zombie, she flipped her white hair up, scattering it in front of her eyes. One of her hands lazily came up and brushed it out of the way, exposing the pale woman's face to the light of day, however small it may be. Her eyes scanned the room, sweeping her head around in the process. With her mind only partially active, the observation of the otherwise empty room carried little importance. The sound that initially roused her was pushed onto the mental back burner.

As the colorless woman came to her feet, the fog of sleep cleared away to leave behind a razor sharp mind. Thoughts buzzed through her head as she prepared for the day, focusing on the day's itinerary. The route, the stops, and the exit were all planned out by the time she exited the shower. The next day was being drafted when she was finished getting dressed in her formal white business suit. Three mental notes were made as well, one of them being sending her wardrobe through the dry cleaning once her group reached Essex. What took some people hours she did in minutes, so nothing marred her smile when she opened the bedroom door.

What transpired outside however, did.

"What-"

For the entirety of her adult life she had traveled. She had bestrode through much of the world, from Cape Town and Oslo, to Moscow and Sydney, and everywhere in between. Few places were beyond her reach, fewer still that didn't know her name. As a result, she, along with her select cadre of bodyguards, had seen some of the best and a lot of the worst the human race was capable of. Apathy to the bizarre came naturally with such worldly travels.

"The hell-"

The sight before Koko Hekmatyr's eyes was strange enough that she needed a moment to process just what was going on. Two men and a woman were all present in the "living room" portion of the suite. The men had taken up opposite positions by the bathroom door and the woman was right in front of it. No one else was present. A moment ago they were utterly focused on doing what looked to her like a forced entry tactic that police and military forces the world over used. Each one had a gun in hand. At the sound of her voice, they turned to her with wide eyes.

"-Is going on here?" Koko finished. Her smile vanished.

The first one to recover his wits lifted himself off the wall and made a show of straightening his shirt out. Lehm Brick was his name, and protecting Koko was his game. An older gentlemen, he had been her bodyguard since she started her escapades. His hair was graying and his skin was practically leather, but only a moron thought he was harmless. He didn't become a captain in the SFO Detachment Delta for nothing, as many unlucky sods had found out. Normally nothing fazed him; whatever came their way he strode through it with a cigarette and a grin.

"Morning little lady. Er, sleep well?" he asked reservedly. Koko narrowed her eyes, noting that he didn't try to meet hers.

"Lehm. What is going on?" she asked sternly. He chuckled forcefully.

"Well, you see-"

"Just some practice" said the woman. The pale lady swiveled her head to the female who interrupted Lehm.

Valmet, real name Sofia Valmer. The only female on Koko's immediate payroll. Tall, beautiful, pale (though not to her boss's extreme), and generously endowed in the chest area. A white patch covered her right eye, possibly the only thing that tarnished her beauty. Formerly of the Finnish RDF, she joined up as her bodyguard some years ago after a career ending incident, to which the patch owed its origin. Though not carefree like Lehm, she was still a professional. Also like Lehm, she was currently very nervous and doing a poor job of hiding it.

"It was Lutz's idea, we wanted to try out a new technique" she said quickly. All of them frantically nodded in agreement.

"Practice" Koko repeated dryly.

"Thats right" added another.

Koko turned her head again to the new speaker. The dark complexioned speaker was born Renato Socchi, but these days went by the simple nickname R. Once a part of the Italian Bersaglieri, he left the army and joined up with her as a bodyguard several years ago. Like all of her men, he had a well deserved status as a skilled combatant and protector. Continuing the trend, the usually implacable man had a sheen of sweat on his brow that the brisk weather had no part of.

"You're lying" Koko spoke. It was a statement of fact, not a question. The widening of his eyes confirmed it.

"Um..." R trailed off trying to think of a response.

"I just took a dump" Lehm interrupted. Valmet shot him a disgusted look before lighting up her features.

"Yeah, it stinks real bad" she added. R and her nodded enthusiastically.

"A minute ago you said you were practicing a new technique" Koko said blandly.

"Yeah, we were. What better way to try it than a stinky bathroom?" R said weakly.

"By breaking in?" she asked rhetorically. All three twitched as they realized their mistake.

"Once again, what is going on here? And where is everyone else?" Koko questioned sternly, sweeping her head around. She wasn't normally like this, but how they were acting had tested her patience.

"I gave them a few hours off to go see the city. Its um, well you'll be fine with just us here" Lehm answered.

"Speaking of which" Valmet said, opening her ams out wide and adopting a large grin "while we're here why don't you and I go sightseeing? Its a beautiful day and Brussels is supposed to be a great desti-" she said while reaching for the younger woman.

Koko slapped her hand away. The two men shared a leery look. It wasn't often their boss lost her cool, that calm rock of stability. To see so now indicated she was at the end of her patience. Lehm knew things were about to get ugly in some fashion. R thought that they had pushed her too far, despite knowing better. In light of their predicament, there wasn't much choice. Valmet just withdrew her hand, looking shocked that Koko would do such a thing.

"Enough of this" she said through a scowl. She strode forward, casually brushing the bodyguards aside. Sharing nervous looks, they allowed it. Koko didn't know what they were keeping from her, but she was about to find out. When her hand wrapped around the bathroom's door knob, she felt a hand gently clench her shoulder. She looked over to the hand's owner to see R, looking more concerned than she could ever remember before.

"Be careful" he said solemnly, withdrawing it in an instant.

She had idea what he meant. But as Koko twisted the polished knob, a sense of unease settled over her. For the briefest moment she hesitated. A powerful and uncharacteristic pang of doubt had taken hold, a feeling that if she opened the door, something terrible might happen. What it meant or why it was even there was something she couldn't explain. There was no reason for it, and her implacable logic crushed the feeling in seconds. The others noticed the gap, but kept silent. With her resolve restored, the latch released and she pulled the door open, feeling a rush of cold air.

Koko blinked at the sight before her. She had no idea what was in store behind the fancy barrier. At one point it occurred to her that her bodyguards could've been playing a prank on her; several of them had the personalities for it, and it wouldn't be hard to rope others into the scheme. The way they were acting shot that theory down however, being far too serious. Other possibilities included vandalism of some kind, or an inconvenient murder, or anything really. Out of all the things that she could think of, what was present in the middle of the small room wasn't one of them.

A black orb, roughly half again the size of a beachball, hovered in midair at the approximate center of the small water-closet, hanging at her chest height. It didn't bob or move, acting like it was bolted in place. But as far as she could see, nothing touched it in any way. Its surface was pitch back, with only a weak sheen from the reflected light giving it any visible definition. It was like someone had simply cut or burned a hole through the fabric of the universe in a hotel bathroom. Slowly, she raised her hand to touch it, but stopped when R put his hand on her shoulder again.

"I wouldn't" he said carefully. She withdrew the curled palm back to her side, allowing him to pull her back a few steps outside the opened door.

"What...is it?" Koko asked at last. Three exasperated sighs, done nearly in unison, revealed the answer before they said it.

"Not a clue" R spoke.

"I dont know. It just, appeared. One minute everything's normal, the next, boom, this thing's in the bathroom" Valmet added.

"So thats what it was" Koko murmured, thinking back to what woke her up. Out of the corner of her vision she saw her nodding.

"By the way, which one of you blocked my door?" she asked, out of the proverbial blue.

"That was me. We weren't sure if it was dangerous or not" R admitted.

"So you blocked my door" she replied dryly.

"In hindsight not one of my better ideas" he continued. Inexorably the three bodyguards felt their attention drifting back to the anomaly in the bathroom.

"So, what's the plan?" Lehm asked at last.

Koko answered not with words but with action. Stepping forward, she was out of arms reach in a second, bringing herself back to the front of the black orb. She heard protests behind her, but ignored them. Now that she was closer, she could examine the thing in greater detail. Peripherally she noted the cold wave she felt at first had dissipated but not vanished. The closer she approached the thing, the greater the chill. She estimated it to be ten degrees celsius cooler than the outside. Along with the drop, she noticed something else as well.

"You guys smell that?" she asked.

"What he said was just a cover Koko, it wasn't for real" Valmet defended.

"I know, not what I meant. Sniff real quick" she ordered. Exchanging confused looks, the three complied. One after the other they caught on.

"Ugh, smells like an old house" R commented, waving a hand in front of his face.

"Reminds me of the attic in my old home" Valmet observed, doing the same.

"Thats right. Damp, musty, and dirty. It smell like a decrepit house in a place thats cleaned constantly" she pointed out, fazed but not showing it. Two of the three snapped out of their petty complaining and looked her in puzzlement. The last narrowed his eyes as he analyzed the smell.

"I wouldn't say decrepit house myself. More like an inhabited cave. Either way" Lehm said thoughtfully.

The entire time they were speaking Koko's eyes didn't leave the mysterious orb. The surface of the object was as static as a rock, with no variance at all. It reflected light, but seemed to do so only grudgingly. A part of her gave off the instinctual danger warning while she was in its presence. Something about it just felt _wrong_ , for reasons she couldn't explain. The intelligent decision would be to leave it alone and find someone else to deal with it. She could name a dozen experts that would love to investigate the thing, for free or on the cheap. That however, neglected an important fact:

Koko hadn't got where she was by being timid.

Though all three were keeping an eye on her (one a bit too closely), only R realized what she was going to do, but by the time he saw it was too late. He jumped forward, grabbing her shoulder and yanking her out of the way. He immediately stopped, gawking in bewilderment. One of the two initially looked alarmed at first, but when she and the formerly unfazed man got a good view of their boss sunk to her her forearm into the ball, they too followed suit. R gaped as he looked back and forth from her shortened arm and her stunned, grinning face.

"You, r-really-" he stuttered in shock.

"I can't believe it either" Koko answered breathlessly. Valmet was suddenly over her shoulder, seeing for herself. Behind her Lehm nonchalantly took a spectator spot.

"How...how does it feel?" Valmet said in wonder. The younger woman experimentally flexed her fingers.

"Feels alright. A little cold. A lot like air really" she observed. Though smiling, she looked as amazed as the rest of them.

"No pain or anything?" R asked carefully. She shook her head.

"There's a little tingle where it has skin contact. Thats all. I'm actually holding it here" she reported, swishing her hand around for emphasis. Her arm passed through the orb without resistance.

"Thats enough. Get it out" R ordered. Though excited, Koko did as told. She pulled her arm out and gently massaged it, feeling goosebumps that weren't from the cold.

"Well" Valmet said authoritatively, straightening her posture out planting her fists on her hips. Koko looked to her and adopted a playful grin. A slight ripple across its surface went unnoticed.

"What you did was reckless. You had no way of knowing what would happen. For all we know, that thing could've vaporized your arm" she lectured. Instead of an apology like she expected, Koko threw her head back and laughed.

"Jeez, you sound like my mother. Not that I'm complaining mind you" she joked.

Valmet turned scarlet and let her jaw drop, forgetting her impromptu lecture. Both R and Lehm quickly clamped their hands over their mouths, since she wouldn't have many qualms about filling them with lead. Still, muffled snickers did escape, and did not go unnoticed. She gave them both a glare that mixed in anger and indignation. That act tipped them both over, and they both broke out in unrestrained laughter. Seeing that, as well as her reaction to it, made Koko join in. Valmet turned almost purple with barely restrained fury.

"You-!" she snarled.

"Oh relax, its not like anything bad happened" Koko said through peals of laughter. It took a moment for her to realize that they had stopped.

Suspicious, her grin faded while she looked around. R avoided her gaze, Lehm studiously inspected the ceiling for imperfections, and even Valmet glanced to the floor. Of her rage, the only sign was some fading red on her cheeks. The looks they possessed were very similar to what they had when she first saw them several minutes prior. The looks that showed they were hiding something. Koko dropped her grin entirely and scowled.

"What're you not telling me?" she demanded coldly, a complete shift from before. R sighed and spoke up "there's no easy way to say-"

* _ **BOOM**_ *

Koko forgot about everything else after that. The sound was low toned and concussive, more like a bomb impact than anything else. A few seconds passed before she realized her immediate surroundings had vibrated a little, reinforcing the impression. Another couple passed before she noticed her bodyguards had fallen silent like her. Most likely stunned as well. An oddity unto itself considering her closeness to them. Normally she would've recognized it instantly, but there was a simple explanation for that. She hadn't just _heard_ the impact.

She _felt_ it.

The impact reverberated through her arm, even though it was outside of the back orb. If Koko hadn't pulled it out already, the three strapping and very nervous men and woman close by would've done it for her. What came next was entirely predictable. R and Valmet grabbed her roughly and half dragged her out of the bathroom. She was far too alarmed to protest. Despite that, her eyes still didn't leave the black surface. Whatever it was, via the thing itself compelling her or through her own will, it kept her attention locked onto it.

She noticed the moment she had left her room that all three of her guards had their guns out, but during her encounter she had glossed that fact. Out of all people she was no stranger to guns after all. But after feeling the vibration through her arm she was suddenly very aware of their weapons and how they carried them. The two had opposing muscular arms wrapped around both of hers, with both free arms aiming into the bathroom, R on the left, and Valmet on the right. To the side was Lehm, with his own gun pointed steadily at the orb.

* _ **BOOM**_ *

"We're leaving" Lehm stated flatly.

Neither his partners nor Koko objected. R let go and adopted the same stance as Lehm. Valmet adjusted her hold onto the pale woman to having an arm over her shoulder, gently but insistently pulling her away. The two men were only a couple of steps away from the women, their attention locked to the bathroom door. R backed away but Lehm stayed put. He took a careful step forward, intent on shutting the door and leaving whatever the black ball was to its own devices. Once that was done, he would ring up the rest of the unit and be out of the country in an hour. His hand had just touched the glossy wood. Had he done so a few seconds earlier, the sequence of events that was to follow might have never occurred.

* _ **BOOM-CRASH**_ *

The ear splitting crash was vastly different than the two thumps. Rather than a muffled impact, it hit like a lightning bolt. Lehm couldn't react fast enough to protect himself, and received the brunt of it's effect. All the suite's occupants were stunned, but he got the worst of it. His ears rang, his vision was swimming, and any sense of balance was temporarily knocked out. He distantly likened the resemblance to a flash bang grenade. When something large came flying out of the now two dimensional black ball, he had no idea it was there until it hit him with the speed of a bullet and slammed him against the back wall.

"Lehm!" Koko cried out.

Being blocked by a wall R managed to avoid the blast, so he remained coherent. He rushed to the older man, heedless to the danger. Dropping down he saw immediately that his comrade was tangled up with a large multi-limbed creature. Its dark skin was dusted with what looked and smelled like ash, and when he touched it he felt a layered texture. With a jolt R realized it was clothing. He grabbed a handful of the human shaped thing's shirt and yanked it up. R suspected who it was, the secret that they were trying so hard to keep from their employer. But he didn't know for sure until he flipped it over to his back, turning the boy's face skyward. Beneath him Lehm groaned in pain.

"Shoulda took the offer" he growled. R ignored him. Behind the two men Koko wrestled free from Valmet and darted over, despite the latter's halfhearted protests. When she peered over R's shoulder, she beheld the dirty face of the unconscious boy laying on the floor. Her whole world stopped, and she slowly turned her head to the speechless Italian with increasing anger.

"Why is Jonah here?" Koko icily demanded. Beneath the two Lehm groaned and pinched between his eyes, coming to. One good look at his boss's furious expression and he knew they were in trouble.

"Oh hey, Jonah's here. That's, um, odd" Lehm said with false innocence. Her gaze swept to him.

"You said you sent them out" Koko spoke. He coughed and absently reached into his shirt pocket.

"I did. Never said all were out though" he said slyly. One quick brush and he found out his smokes were crushed. Between Koko's and R's shoulders Valmet came up, looking queasily at both the boy and the woman.

"Why did you keep that from me?" Koko growled. R let his eyes fall, and Valmet cringed.

"I knew you'd get mad. See?" he waved a hand at her. Her scowl deepened, and she would've launched a long tirade if another pained groan hadn't echoed. The four adults immediately swept their attention away, looking with a mixture of shock and hope. The boy was awakening. Koko dropped to her knees, hovering over his stirring form. Around her the other two carefully moved close while Lehm propped himself into his elbow, wincing in pain. The boy groaned, and his eyes flickered open to reveal dazed red irises.

His name was Jonathan Mar, shortened to simply Jonah. Age was somewhere around fourteen, though only he knew his specific birthday. No other records remained to tell, and all who could tell them were long dead. His skin was dark, contrasting sharply with his pale hair. A small scar hung below his left eye, the only one that was immediately visible. Apart from that, he was by many standards cute. He was wearing a black hoodie with khaki shorts, along with child sized combat boots. Most tellingly, fine lines that normally grew from laughter and smiling were absent. Taciturn on a good day, at an age when many boys in the civilized world were preoccupied with school friends or girls, he was with ex soldiers and similar specialists. Not as a guest, but as an equal.

"Jonah?" Koko about whispered, unconsciously holding her breath. He blinked repeatedly as he came to.

"Koko?" Jonah murmured. The pale woman's face lit up in joy.

"Are you alright? Hurt? C'mon, I'll-" she went on, stopping when R put his hand on her shoulder. She looked over to see him discreetly shaking his head.

"Uh, where am I?" Jonah said groggily, raising an arm to block the light. Koko and R hurriedly looked back, while Valmet and Lehm (who never looked away) eyed him worriedly.

"Back at the hotel. You had us worried sick kiddo. Where'd you take off to?" Lehm said casually, siting up and ignoring Koko's glower at interrupting her. The boy slowly brought his arm down, letting his vision adjust.

"I was...wait" he suddenly shot up, groaning in pain. R gently pushed him back down.

"Whoa there, whats got you worked up all of a sudden?" he asked in concern. He noted how much more lively he just became.

"Is she here too?" Jonah demanded. Collectively they raised their eyebrows.

"Um, yes. I'm right here. Valmet too" Koko explained concernedly, jerking a thumb over her shoulder. Jonah testily shook his head.

"No, her. She was right behind me" he explained, an edge of alarm to his voice. He struggled once more to get up but was blocked again by R, who was getting increasingly concerned. He continued to struggle up despite pain being written over his features.

"Calm down, its just us here. No one else. You're safe" Koko reassured. He grimaced in effort before closing his eyes and dropping. R put a finger to his neck.

"Out cold" he reported duly. The look on his face was troubling.

"Will he be alright?" she asked insistently. Over her shoulder Valmet glanced to the bathroom.

"Should be. Can only guess what he went through though" Lehm supplied.

"Koko" Valmet said quietly.

The pale woman's head picked up. The way Valmet had spoken her name; slow, higher pitched, edging into whining territory, it was reserved only for times when things had well and truly hit the fan. It sent a bolt of alarm coursing through her. Slowly, her face a stone mask, Koko turned her head. The intent was to see where the other woman was looking and react accordingly. As it turned out, she didn't need to. Where she was looking was on the way. The boy had went SOMEWHERE, that much was clear. When her gaze reached the bathroom door, she discovered that Jonah hadn't came back alone.

"A girl?" Koko whispered.

As the new arrival staggered to her feet, Koko drank in every detail. The first thing she picked up on was the girl's outfit. She wore thin boots that ended just below her knees, tiny jean shorts with a loose belt, a bikini top, small gloves, and a large open hooded jacket that covered her arms and ended close to the ground, not unlike a cape. All but the white belt was a deep black. It revealed a great deal of pale skin, but she reasoned that the jacket could act as a cowl if needed. Her height was roughly the same as Jonah's, though likely a little taller. She also had dark hair, done up in a twin ponytail that reached well past her shoulders, though the right side was considerably longer. Her skin had an almost a corpse-like pallor. Looking unhealthily thin didn't dispel the uncomfortable comparison that thought led to. Over her thudding heartbeat the woman heard audible panting, like she was out of breath. Since she kept her head down, none of them could get a good look at her face.

"The hell?" Lehm muttered. She threw an arm onto the doorframe to steady herself, revealing that under the jacket was two very large stitched scars on opposite sides of her thin torso. Once the girl was firmly on her feet and her breathing had steadied out, Koko stood up and straightened her suit out.

The girl raised her head, revealing a pretty face with large, unnaturally blue eyes.

"Well" Koko said neutrally. The girl let go of the frame and stood on her own. Except for her slight breathing and few blinks, she stood perfectly still. Each of the bodyguards' instincts went off, all subtly bringing weapons to bear.

"Hello there. Do you understand me?" Koko greeted carefully. She had to actively force herself not to stare at her eyes, distantly noting how they seemed to have rings inside of them.

The girl stared impassively, leaving her features blank.

"Okay...I'm going to assume yes. My name is Koko Hekmatyr. Yours is?" she left hanging.

The girl dropped her head, lowering herself to a crouch. Then, several things happened at once. She shot forward incredibly fast, directly towards the princess. That move was the only thing stopping the three from riddling her with lead. The girl brought her arm up and slammed her full weight into Koko, who couldn't move fast enough to get out of the way. A single gunshot boomed in the enclosed space as the two flew against the wall, echoing Lehm and Jonah minutes earlier. Then, almost too quickly for the eye to follow, she rebounded and dashed away, to the suite door.

"Valmet, R, after her! Now!" Lehm commanded. For a moment they hesitated, unwilling to leave Koko behind. A loud crash, the sound of something powerful busting down the door, came from where the girl had taken off. It was enough to convince them. They shared a brief look before sprinting off after her. Lehm sucked up a breath and forced himself onto his feet, leaving Jonah for his injured boss. A trace of smoke wafted from his gun.

The bodyguard pair, one Italian and the other Finnish, came to the entranceway where a door was five minutes ago. What was left of it was pressed against the opposite wall. Wood splinters were scattered all over, and a large crack split the oak in half. Valmet peeked out the right corner, R the left. "This way" Valmet spoke, breaking into a run. R turned and followed her, catching a glimpse of black dashing around the corner.

The floor they were one was arranged as a "T"; though sizable, it was nowhere near as grand as other places they could've stayed at. Where the lady and her team had taken up was roughly in the center, only a stone's throw from the intersection. Valmet dashed around the corner, veering right. Her goal was actually unclear; on the one hand the girl had hurt Koko, and so deserved a painful death. On the other, what could only be described as a portal had materialized in the bathroom, and the bizarre girl had came from it. If nothing else they could question her for information. She was leaning towards the former.

R's thoughts were much simpler: capture girl, niceties unnecessary. Unlike his partner, he had no wish to kill her. Immediately anyway. Though a quick sight he received changed his outlook. On the corner wall, unnoticed by Valmet in her current state, was small smear of blood. One guess for who it belonged to. His gaze followed it for a half second, pulling back just in time to catch Valmet skidding to a stop. He reacted fast, nearly tripping over himself in the process. In his opinion he did an admirable job of halting only a couple of steps past her. He wondered why she stopped, but the next words out of her mouth answered the question.

"Stop right there!" she barked, bringing her gun up. R was a heartbeat behind.

Twenty paces away was the girl, who only a moment ago was standing in the middle of the carpeted hallway frantically turning her head back and forth, froze up. Slowly, she turned herself around to face them. Her left hand was clamped over her dangling right upper arm, where the bullet must have struck. Blood seeped from between her fingers, staining her coat. Her chest shuddered with deep laborious breathing, either in exertion or pain, R couldn't tell. What struck him was her gaze: her eyes flickered between the two potential threats, but no sign of malice or anger was visible. It was if there was no emotion behind those blue orbs. He saw looks like that before, but only on truly coldhearted killers. Seeing it on a young girl brought an involuntary shiver.

"Don't move" Valmet commanded.

The girl didn't reply. R shuffled away, putting a bit of distance between themselves in case the girl decided to go on the offensive. She tracked him unnervingly, shifting her attention from him to her and back again, not locking onto either for more than a few seconds at a time. R waited until she wasn't looking at him to sneak a peek at Valmet. She appeared to be keeping a cool head, considering the circumstances. Ahead the bloody left hand dropped to the girl's side, and she raised her wounded right arm to them, with only a minuscule twitch to show how much pain she must have been in. It was then that the most extraordinary sight that either of them had ever seen occurred.

With a hard gaze she clenched her flat hand into a fist. A circle of light suddenly appeared under her elbow, quickly morphing into solid black metal that attached itself to the wounded arm. More complex patterns moved downwards, flrming a solid construct that built itself with clanking swiftness. When it reached past her hand, it elongated into a large tube with three struts an equal distance apart. The entire process took seconds. Both of the bodyguards were veterans of bloody warfare, along with many smaller conflicts over the years. Yet the sight they were witnessing left them both dumbstruck. By sheer force of will Valmet suppressed her awe and reacted to the situation. When the barrel like end of the construct began glowing, she had no clue what would happen. Instead, she made an assumption based on the girl's behavior.

"Get down!" she shouted, throwing herself towards R.

The glow blasted out, moving strangely slowly, relatively speaking. R was still in awe, but the command flipped a switch inside him. She tackled him out of the way, feeling the heat of the projectile fly past her. Her training kicked in, allowing her to roll on impact, coming to an abrupt stop on her stomach with her weapon trained on the shooter. She blocked out the crashing sound of the projectile's impact somewhere behind her, squeezing off two rounds of her own in reply. Another rang out above her, from the now alert R.

Two of the shots cleanly missed. Under normal circumstances that wouldn't have happened, since the two were notedly good marksmen. Due to the stressed situation however, their performance was notably lowered. But one, from a mixture of skill and a healthy dose of luck, hit home. The building glow discharged into the wall as the bullet tore into her formerly uninjured left shoulder. Her arm twisted to the right, letting the shot loose at the wall. She jerked back with the impact with an expression of pain as plaster flew from the blast. No scream escaped her throat.

Pressing the advantage, both of the shooters opened fire. These shots were not as panicked, and the girl knew it. She then performed another action that at rest would've left them speechless. She crouched and leaped back, moving like a tiger. The two focused on her, but she bounced from one wall of the hallway to the other, almost too quickly to follow. Their rate of fire wasn't high enough to counter her speed. But she wasn't just retreating, as another blue tinged bolt flew over. R was just helping her up when it flew past, and he pushed her back down. He squeezed the trigger one more time.

 _Click_.

 _Why didnt I grab my rifle?_ R thought ruefully.

The low growl of anger from Valmet told him she was done. She was off in an instant, breaking out into a sprint before she was even fully on her feet. R looked on wondrously before getting a move on himself. One thing distracted him: as he ran past where the stray shot discharged he saw a jagged and worryingly large hole punched through the plaster. A millisecond long flash of light implied it had gone through to the other side of the wall. The hole also happened to be twice the size of his fist. He didn't want look too closely to confirm.

The girl ran as fast as she could to the end of the hall, never slowing. Though the ex-major was fit herself, it didn't come close to what the attacker was doing. She brought her gun up and fired one more time. She was running as fast as she could, was huffing air as fast as her lungs could work, and was very much pissed. Predictably, the bullet missed by a wide margin. She would've sent another, but her own pistol _clicked_ empty as well. By sheer force of will, she redoubled her efforts.

For many other buildings, the end of a hallway was home to the stairs. But for this particular hotel they were placed to the sides of the dead end, leaving the empty wall with a large scenic window. Only a dozen paces away the girl dropped low and leaped, tucking her arms and legs in close. In flight she made herself as small as possible. No sane human being would do such an action. Valmet's anger dissipated into shock as she realized what was going to happen. By the time she did there was nothing she could do to stop it.

The window shattered, spraying glass shards far and wide. In the center of the expanding cloud, the girl flew in defiance of gravity. Despite the hazard she opened her eyes. She had only a few frantic heartbeats to comprehend the sight before her. Brussels was coming alive below her. A line of cars bustled down the paved streets. A number of people were on the sidewalks, most walking, some setting up little shops. Green foliage competed with grey cement as far as the eye could see. The buildings around weren't large by many standards, but off in the distance skyscrapers rose into the horizon. To residents, the view was nothing special.

To the girl, falling to the hard ground in a shower of broken glass, it was the most incredible sight she had ever seen.

Then gravity reasserted itself, as it was wont to do. Despite her momentum the girl plummeted down. Below the road and its accompanying sidewalks stretched into opposing directions, a growing number of people taking to them. She spotted a small fabric canvas covering a street vendor, just below her. The vendor that had set up shop there wasn't in his usual place; his alarm clock failed to go off and he slept in. By the time he got around it was too late, so he picked that spot to sell some homegrown fruit. He had no real reason for the location, it was just a whim.

What he didn't know was that if he hadn't picked there in particular, the strange girl speeding to the ground would've impacted the hard concrete and splattered. Then that would be the end of that. But since he did, the middle aged man that owned it nearly had a heart attack as his awning suddenly collapsed in. The plain canvas broke the worst of her fall and inadvertently saved her life. She still hit the ground hard, but it was hefty pain instead of crippling injury or outright death. The stands underneath her smashed and scattered.

The owner stared fearfully at the tangled mess of his awning as onlookers stopped what they were doing to observe, giving way to fearful or excited conversation. Several of them took a moment to pull out cellphones to take pictures. The canvas shook and tumbled as she struggled to get out. Finally she found a way out and crawled out of the mess, ignorant of people's reactions. To the girl her immediate problem was dealt with. Those attacker were far away, and with her new location she could easily flee to rest and recuperate. The less pressing issue of her new surroundings would have to wait however, but as far as she was concerned she was in the clear. She rolled out of the wrecked covering and fell into the street, feeling quite confident. She looked up-

Ten tons of city bus side-swiped her.

She tumbled in the air for a moment in a daze, idly wondering what that thing was. When she hit the hot pavement those thoughts ceased. She went slack, her eyes bleary and unfocused. Her pain tolerance was high, but the combined stress of several bullet wounds, a three story impact, and an encounter with public transportation was too much, even for her. Her limbs errantly spasmed, and her breathing was ragged. Darkness hemmed in as her vision blurred. Slowly she began to slip into unconsciousness. Everything took on a dreamy aspect. Above her shadows appeared, taking indistinct humanoid forms.

"...amn this is a tough one..."

"...call...hospital, stat..."

"...give me a hand Ugo..."

"...on the line...we're leaving...

"...taking her with us. Give me a hand..."

The pale girl from another world blacked out as strong arms lifted her away. She had no inkling of the changes she had wrought, and would continue to make.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here we go, round two. Fight!**

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The girl awoke.

Her transition from sleep to awake was near instantaneous. There was no shifting of black to light; one moment she was out cold, the next she was fully alert. A second after she returned to consciousness the various injuries she had suffered came back in full force. She suppressed a groan. Pain seemed to come from everywhere, ranging from a low ache to screaming agony. Though there was no one single source, she pinpointed several spots that were worse than others. One was on her arm, where the bullet struck. Her other arm had a similar problem, though it was milder in comparison. The worst was her chest. From the way it hurt every time she took a breath, she guessed several of her ribs were broken.

She closed her eyes and went to work. Each major point she focused on, finding the center of the pain and staring it down. Slowly, it receded enough for her to move on. Her injuries would heal in time, but at the moment she needed full functionality. She didn't have the luxury of waiting it out. Some time passed before she finished up, the pain settling down to manageable levels. Her first concern taken care of, she took stock of her situation. She carefully raised her head and looked down, noticing for the first time she was on her back, on an exceptionally soft surface. A bed, she realized.

The second thing she noticed was her coat was gone. The rest of her outfit was still on thankfully, looking no worse for wear. But there looked to be several things on her body that certainly weren't there before. Looking right, she saw a white mass hugging the spot where the bullet had struck. Out of curiosity she looked left and saw the same thing, albeit smaller, on the other wound. She looked down her entire body, seeing many more scattered around, each one on the injured spots. Raising an eyebrow at the odd things, she trailed her eyes around, observing her surroundings.

The soft bed she was laying on was white. The ceiling above her was made up of square tiles with regularly spaced out lights, all of it white. The walls were smooth and unadorned, lacking any window. They were also painted white. She lifted her head and saw over the edge of the bed, getting a look at the floor. Dirty, but white. As far as she could see, the only thing in the room not white was the brown wooden door. It was as if someone had stolen most of the colors. With some trepidation the girl lifted her head up high and closed her eyes. Her nostrils flared as she took in the scents. She sensed some kind of chemical, an overpowering antiseptic stench that effortlessly masked the minute hint of blood.

She lowered her head and considered her options. The room at present was deserted. There was a not insignificant chance that the strange people she encountered were still around, perhaps being the very ones who placed her in this devoid room. She was still heavily injured, though in truth not to the degree she had feared. The real problem was her surroundings. Though brief, the view she obtained in midair was more than enough to show her something was very wrong. Finding her way back home would likely be difficult. While she mused the girl let her eyes wander.

She then did a double take at something she initially overlooked.

There was something in her right arm. Beige material hugged her skin around a small object sticking out of her, several inches from her wrist. When she flexed her muscles a disturbance was felt around it, indicating that it really was inside of her. Rising out of the object was a long clear tube with what looked like fluid inside. In disbelief she traced the line, finding it going higher and higher. Her stunned expression came to rest at a clear bag, hanging upside down on a metal hanger. As she watched a thin trace of the fluid emptied out of the bag and down the tube. _Into_ her.

After a moment of debate she decided that she didn't like it. The girl raised her free hand in order to tear it out, but it only rose a few inches before a clanking noise sounded out. She froze, trying to pinpoint the noise. When no source showed itself, she slowly lowered her hand. The sound came again, instantly grabbing her attention. She looked down to her hand, finding out with surprise that a circular lump of metal was wrapped around her wrist. In her current state overlooking the weight was odd but excusable. Experimentally she raised her arm, discovering the metal was attached to a short chain, which in turn was attached to another circle. Which itself was around a metal bar, looking to run the length of the bed.

When she raised her arm it clanked, showing its full, very short length. She looked back to her right arm and its parasite, identifying another of the dual circled constructs weighing her wrist down. Now thoroughly alarmed, she kicked her aching legs, rudely finding out that similar things were wrapped around both of her ankles. They rattled insistently, but refused to give. No matter how she moved her limbs, the chained circles kept her from moving more than a few inches. She was effectively trapped.

Rare fear gripped the girl's guts. She thrashed her libs repeatedly, shaking and rattling the chains to no avail. Her breathing picked up to panicked gasps, with a heartbeat to match. The clear tube shook with her movement, making the bag sway to and fro. The noise she was making was considerable. The clanking and rattling of the metal was grating on her ears as well. But at the moment however, she hardly cared about the volume. Being trapped in some blank room was both humiliating and terrifying. Each state alone was a thing she hated in equal measure. Having them at once was nearly unbearable.

Despite her frenzied status, the quiet click of the door latch did not go unnoticed. At once she was still, her movements freezing in the blink of an eye. All but her head, which focused on the brown door. The only sign of her struggle was the swaying line from the bag to her arm. A slight squeak came from the hinges as it swung out, revealing murky darkness. The glaring lights above her shooed the shadows away, bringing the one who opened the door into full view of her analyzing gaze.

The one who opened the door was a man, similar to the one she saw yesterday. His skin was lightly toned, a cross between white and pink. The short spiky hair atop his was near yellow, giving off a repressed sheen from the light. He wore a light beige shirt with dark jeans. If she knew of it, she would have described his features as friendly. All this information was given its due importance to her position, i.e. none. What did however was what he had against his chest, a black toned object the length of his arm that resembled her own cannon. She assumed it was a weapon. The new man looked resignedly at her still form, likely noting the wrinkled sheets below. He sighed.

"Damn it, just my luck. Drew the morning watch to avoid it and get stuck anyway" he muttered with an air of persecution. The girl had no idea what he was talking about, and didn't care enough to find answers. She stared hard at him, blinking infrequently. She hoped it would intimidate him, perhaps to the extent of letting her go.

"First meeting and you're giving me a death glare. I can tell already this is going to go well" he said, not the least bit impressed. He reached into his pocket and retrieved something small, bringing it up to chest level. From her spot the girl couldn't see what it was, the only glimpse she had was a spot of grey. His thumb moved, doing something to it. She had no idea what it could be.

"Hey Koko" he said into his hand.

"Whaddya want Lutz?" groaned a tired voice.

The girl froze again, entirely this time. She swept her head around, looking for the speaker she recognized but finding no one but the man.

"Remember when you told us to fetch you if the girl woke up?" the man spoke to his hand again. A moment passed before the unseen woman responded.

"...She's up isn't she" the unseen woman asked resignedly.

"Got it in one" he answered.

"Be there in a minute" she said quickly.

A second after she spoke a mechanical clicked echoed. The girl unconsciously twitched at the sound; remembering the last time she heard something like that. The man grinned and let out a small chuckle, dropping his hand back to his hip. She didn't get the chance to identify what it was before he stuffed it back where it came from. He shook his head and looked back at the girl. In the time he spent talking she moved her limbs back, as comfortable as one with only a tiny range of motion could get. Her facial features could've been made of stone for all the emotion she showed, but her eyes weren't as unreadable. For the moment she had what approximated curiosity in them. He returned the look.

"You looking at the phone or my gun?" the man, Lutz the other woman called him, asked her. A flicker of her gaze was all the answer she gave.

"Both maybe?" he said. He reached back into his pocket, jostling the thing on his chest. After it was out she turned his palm and showed her, holding on to the edges of a small grey rectangle. The slightly reflective surface of it was black until he did something to it, making it suddenly light up with a muted white flash.

"Like it? Its a smartphone. My boss, the woman on the other end, hooked us up with these a while back. Let me tell you, a real useful gadget. Can text, call, search the web, play games, all kinds of stuff. Even has speaker phone, what I just used. Figured I'd let you hear since she's coming for you anyway" Lutz gushed. Her lack of reaction to anything he said brought about a sigh.

"Okay, then" he said, replacing the object to his pocket "how about this?" holding up the 'gun' as he called it.

She examined the weapon carefully. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before, having only a couple of factors in common with her own weapon. At first she was inclined to disregard it, but the memory of the hand sized weapons the other two possessed before made her rethink her opinion. He obviously knew about her, since the woman he conversed with on the 'smartphone' sounded like the same one as before. If he was showing it off, than he felt confidant about its power.

"Heckler and Koch MP5 submachine gun" he explained with a due amount of pride, mistaking her studying for admiration.

"This bad boy outs out eight hundred ten millimeter anti personnel rounds per minute, and has a thirty round magazine" he continued "Valmet and R, the two you took on a couple of days ago, told me how fast you moved. I didn't believe it at first, but I saw the place afterwards." She lifted her head away from the ' _em-pe-five_ ' to his face. Lutz was smirking, not catching on that she didnt understand a word of his description.

"Not my usual load out, but according to them you managed to dodge sixteen nine mil rounds. You shrugged off the two that hit. I figured then that the best solution was to turn the air into lead" he explained. The tone of his voice was sliding into gloating territory, something that was grating on her patience. The next moment however he frowned.

"One more thing though. Before the little lady gets here, I just wanna make something clear" he said, the emotions draining from his inflection.

"You hurt three of my teammates, tried to kill two of them, and made a move against my boss. You try anything, anything at all, and it won't matter how fast you can run. Got it?" Lutz threatened. The girl tipped her head down once in acknowledgment.

Two feathery knocks came from the door. Lutz didn't face away from her, instead walking backwards the way he came. The end of the gun's barrel stayed in her general direction. His free hand (the other straying to the trigger grip) snaked down to the simple stainless steel handle. He lowered the handle and pulled. A muffled thump echoed from the door. His features contorted in confusion, he pulled again to the same result. The girl lifted her non-parasite hand and flattened her palm on its side. With severe gravitas, she flapped her hand twice, towards him.

 _Out_ , she conveyed.

Lutz's features fell and red colored his entire face upon realizing his error. Wearing the mask of shame he corrected himself, pushing on the third try. As before, there was only obscuring darkness beyond. Until a new arrival stepped into the light, passing by the taller man with little concern. Once she was past the man let go and dejectedly trotted after her, letting the door slowly shut on its own accord. The pale woman walked confidently right up to the edge of her bed and leveled her eyes on her, wearing a playful smile.

"So we meet again young lady" Koko Hekmatayr greeted. The girl was unsure if she was being condescending or honest.

"Sorry for waking you" Lutz said ashamedly.

"Why? I told you to fetch me when she wakes up, you did just that" Koko assured with a shrug. Despite her current garb, an oversized blue shirt and black jogging shorts in addition to a large patch of white cloth wrapped around her curled arm and neck, she had an almost regal grace about her.

"But still" he protested.

"Forget about it alright? Now" she said, bringing her full attention upon the prone girl. She answered with a blank stare.

"Normally when people try to kill me I return the favor. Doubly so if they hurt any of my men. But in your case" Koko bent over the girl "I'm willing to make an exception" she said.

"You're paler than me, you're skinnier than a twig, and your clothes are weird. None of that stops you from running fast enough to dodge some determined shooting. You look close to anemic, yet you knocked me over hard enough to fracture my arm" she moved the sling for emphasis.

"You should've seen Valmet. She was two seconds away from stabbing you when she found that out" Lutz added. Koko nodded in agreement, not minding his interruption.

"To say nothing of you falling from a three story building and got side swiped by a bus. Just two days later, you're almost good as new" she stood back up, planting her uninjured hand on her hip.

"To say I'm fascinated is something of an understatement" she finished, still smirking.

The girl stared at the woman for the entire speech. Despite herself, she found herself entranced by her and her ways. Once she stopped talking she realized the woman had smiled the entire time. A bystander once described her smile as a cheshire grin; if the girl knew what that phrase meant, she would've wholeheartedly agreed. Her face was the mask of benign amusement, like someone who quietly laughed at everything. Not once did it falter. But her gaze told a different story. Her cold blue eyes were like ice. With a start the girl realized that just as she studied the woman, the woman had been studying her.

"Lutz, what time is it? I left my phone back in my room" Koko asked, visually tracing over the girl's own features. The man fumbled for a second before producing his own device.

"Five twenty seven. It says the sunrise is in ten minutes" he answered. The girl was sure the pale woman's face lit up.

"Excellent. Now where's the key to the cuffs?" she followed up. Lutz did a double take.

"What? Have you lost your mind!?" he exclaimed.

"She won't hurt me, I'm sure of it" Koko said confidently. The girl was inclined to disagree.

"But you're the one that said to restrain her" he shot back.

"More for her own safety. When she woke up wasn't she confused about her surroundings?" she seamlessly countered.

"She already tried to kill you once" Lutz protested weakly.

"That's all in the past. She'll behave herself. Won't you?" she leaned in over her again as she asked.

"But..." he sputtered in defeat.

"Because if you don't, he, Lehm, Valmet, and the rest of my guards will make sure they'll need a DNA test to identify your corpse" Koko threatened softly, too quiet to hear. The girl narrowed her eyes.

"Well?" she said under her breath.

After a moment of consideration, she nodded once.

"Excellent" she shot back up, her grin larger than ever. Without taking her eyes off her she reached over her shoulder and flattened her palm. Lutz grumbled but placed something small onto her hand. Returning it to her side, she looked away and made a tsk sound.

"Oh duh. Hang on a minute Lutz, I gotta disconnect the IV" she said offhandedly.

She watched in mixed suspicion and bewilderment as the pale woman casually pulled the small thing inside of her arm out. A trace of pain raced out when she yanked, followed by something pressing against the new wound. A small beige patch looked to take its place. She saw a glint of metal flash in the glaring light as Koko bent over the cuff. She wondered what she was doing until a metallic click echoed. No sooner than it happened did the weight fell away. The woman held up the chained circle, showing it to the bed's occupant. She reached over, doing the same in sight of the girl. As she watched the tiny piece of metal slid into the circle around her wrist and twisted. Another click went out. The cuff split in twain, leaving both of her hands free.

The girl propped herself up to a sitting position and brought her hands up at the same time. She flexed her hands, clutching and opening them as a test. Slivers of feeling traced along her nerves, but compared to everything else it was at worst trivial. Two more clicks echoed out, coupled with the restraints on her ankles giving away. Slowly she lowered them, not letting her relief at being released show. While she was reveling in her newfound freedom Koko had backed several steps away to Lutz's side. The latter now firmly aimed the _em-pe-five_ at her, looking all too willing to use it.

"That better? Now get up, I want to show you something" she said, waving her on. She still wore that damnable smile.

Her features inscrutable, the girl swung her legs out to the side and slid off the bed. She made sure to move slowly and deliberately, lest Lutz interpret it as a threat. Her boots clacked against the dirty tiled floor. The woman stepped out of the agape door, which was still propped open by some unseen force. Standing outside in the darkness, she gestured for her to follow. Lutz took several steps back himself to maintain a short distance away from her, the end of his gun hardly wavering. Against her own expectations and his justified fear, she did as told.

The space beyond the entranceway was black. Only a tiny amount of muted light showed anything at all. After the glaring white shine of the room, it was both refreshing and aggravating. Koko waited until the girl was in the door frame before spinning around and trotting off. The girl quietly repressed a scowl at her laid back temperament, in the darkness where neither of the two could possibly see it. Did that woman not realize the danger? Or did she simply not care? She had no answer. But as the woman walked down the black hallway the girl followed her, with Lutz a few body lengths away. Presumably the gun was pointed at the center of her back.

They only walked for a minute, coming to another doorway, this one being made of glass. Risking a look back, the girl fist saw a tense Lutz, then the white shine of the room. She did a mental estimate of the distance and sourly noted she could've crossed the space in a couple of seconds. Koko did something to the glass, making it not only swing open on its own but stay open. With not even a backwards glance she cheerfully strolled out. A quiet snort from behind the girl told her she wasn't the only one thinking how ridiculous the entire situation was. Given her alternatives however, the girl decided to mimic her. Though she didn't copy the carefree exuberance the older woman shed. She doubted she could've even tried.

After precisely three steps out of the glass it hit the girl that her surroundings had utterly changed. What sounded like paper rustled above her head. The ground felt uneven, and covered in stuff as well. A breeze lightly caressed her, seemingly changing direction by the second. The fragrances that her sense of smell picked up was unlike anything she had ever perceived before. Things she couldn't begin to identify. Something made a chirping sound in the distance. Lastly, the air itself was unbelievingly clear. No rubble, no dust, nothing that she had known constantly. The only thing that wasn't off was the temperature; a brisk chill that brought an involuntary shiver. She stood completely still for a moment as she recovered from the assault on her senses.

"Why'd you stop?" Lutz demanded. He stepped forward, but retreated a second later. He fumed impotently at his forced distance, unwilling to risk getting closer. The girl shook her head, clenching her eyes shut and forcing a breath. When she felt recovered enough to continue, she opened them up and found Koko several lengths in front of her. Predictably, she was grinning.

"You look like a blind man that just got his eyesight back. Sheltered much?" she teased. The girl realized that she had let her features slip during her recovery. She vowed to not do so again. Koko merely smirked. She then blinked, as if realizing something herself.

"Lutz, time?" she asked suddenly. The blonde man grumbled and reluctantly took one hand off of the gun. The trigger grip he kept his fingers curled tightly around, but the hand under the barrel came free. If he had to shoot now, the recoil would eliminate any sense of proper aiming, letting bullets fly indiscriminately. The likelihood of hitting the girl went down considerably, coupled with the increased odds of hitting Koko by mistake. Neither was an option as far as he was concerned.

Fortunately for his sake, the girl looked to be preoccupied by Koko instead, not giving even a single a peek towards him. With agonizing care he pulled his phone back out, managing to doing so without a problem. Only during the last part, actually looking at the phone, did his resolve falter. Sucking it up, he clicked the side button to light up the screen. He flicked his eyes over as fast as he could, unwilling to take them off of her for even a moment.

"Five thirty five. Says dawn is in a couple of minutes" he reported tersely, internally considering dropping the device to avoid the hassle of putting it back.

"Good. Now you" Koko snapped her fingers, grabbing the girl's attention.

She pointed away. The girl was suspicious but complied, looking in the same direction as the woman's finger. The sky, which until that moment she had ignored, was almost the same as the rest of her surroundings: uniformly dark with a touch of light. However, one part of it proved her initial observation wrong. A large patch of it was a dull orange, fading into the black of the rest of the sky. As she watched, the patch looked to be expanding, the center slowly growing brighter as she watched. It perplexed the girl.

"Right about now" Lutz said.

As if on cue, a ray of light broke through the thing above her, stabbing almost exactly at her feet. The startled girl jumped back, a heartbeat away from getting filled with lead. In amazement her nominally schooled features fell as she traced the beam back to its source. More broke through, turning from scattered rays to a full deluge of light, brighter than anything she had ever seen. At last it crested the treetops in all its majestic glory. The yellowish light was too great, forcing her to block her vision with a raised arm. After a moment of adjustment, she tenuously lowered it.

A few minutes ago there was only a muted orange glow in the sky. Now a great yellow orb, more powerful than she could've imagined possible, boldly rose into the heavens. The scattered darkness seemed to shrink before its ascending might, fleeing like a terrified prey animal. The girl had never seen anything like it before. She blinked, feeling a dash of pain in her eyes. Not entirely willingly she took her gaze off of it, realizing that its ascension had wrought a fundamental change upon her surroundings.

The space around her was, like the sky, no longer black. The rustling mass above her had taken on a vibrant green hue. Not the sickly necrotic tone she was familiar with, but a shade that exuberantly gave off life. Poking between the green was flecks of grey and brown. She trailed her eyes down, finding a solid brown pillar. Whatever it was, it wasn't stone. Her wide gaze continued down, finding more green at its base. Like the stuff above, it radiated life on sight. Following it to its conclusion, she found the toes of her boots on top masses of the stuff. A thin breeze blew, making it sway in its wake. Everywhere she looked, the dark fled from the onrushing light.

"Amazing isn't it?" Koko asked casually, as if the miraculous event that just occurred was of zero importance.

The girl shakily nodded in agreement.

"I used to love the sunrise. Every morning I'd sneak out of bed, before my brother or my nannies could catch me. I'd go to the lawn or the roof and just sit there, watching the dawn. To a sheltered seven year old brat, it was incredible. Breathtaking really" she explained, sparing a glance to the horizon. The girl did the same.

"Its been years since I saw one last. Funny, now that I'm the one in charge there's always something keeping me. I guess the difference between children and adults is children have others give excuses, while adults do it to themselves" she monologued.

"I...did not know that" Lutz cautiously added. She chuckled.

"Its not like its a secret. If you wanted to know all you had to do was ask. But continuing" she brought her gaze back upon the girl, who answered in kind "even though I have the freedom to see the sunrise to my heart's content, I ultimately can't. That faraway place is dead and gone. Has been for a long time" she lead. Slowly her smile fell.

The girl eyed her, wondering what she was getting at.

"Two days ago you popped out of a black bubble and caused a fair bit of havoc. We had to get out of the country fast, but afterwards I sent someone to check out the hotel room. It was gone" she explained.

She stared dispassionately, not understanding.

"That thing, a portal, a machine, whatever, there's no sign of it. The only clue that anything was there was some dust and a tiny radiation spike. I don't know where you come from, but you're stuck here now" Koko finished.

Koko would admit later she expected the girl to stay stoic afterwards. Considering her reactions to that point it wasn't an unreasonable assumption. If anything the opposite happened. Her features contorted in emotion, flashing between fear, shock, and despair. Lutz tightened his grip when she saw her legs wobble, more so when she collapsed. Landing on her knees, her arms planted themselves on the ground in a last ditch to avoid completely falling. Her breathing came in shuddered gasps. She had the look and reaction of someone who's entire world just fell apart. Lutz supposed she did.

The older woman lowered herself into a squat, making the two near eye level. She utterly ignored the blond man's silent frantic protests. After that, she waited patiently. Ten minutes passed before the girl finally brought herself under control. Her breathing slowed to deep huffs, and she finally looked from the ground, meeting the woman's uncompromising stare. She made little attempt to mask her surprise at Koko's proximity. A tiny part of her began to admire her bravery.

"The title of one of Heinlein's books sums up your situation perfectly. Legally, you do not exist. You have no relatives, no friends, and no home. You don't even have a name" Koko stated calmly. Anger flashed across the girl's face. Beneath her the pale woman heard the sound of uprooted grass, which she ignored.

"Koko" Lutz pleaded softly. A small smile crossed her features.

"It doesn't have to be that way however" she said. The girl blinked, puzzlement briefly usurping her rage.

"I have nine bodyguards. By most standards, that's more than sufficient. But I'm always on the lookout for new talent. People, skills, experience, et cetera" she leaned in even closer, until the two were almost bumping noses "If the hotel was any indication, you most certainly fit the bill" she whispered.

The startled girl fell back, one hastily placed arm away from falling on her back.

"Join my unit. Food, education, payment, the whole shebang. Plus keeping you from any group or agency that want you for nasty things. All yours. In exchange, you protect my sorry hide" Koko explained. She rose back to her feet, groaning at her numb legs. Absently she raised her uninjured arm up high, stretching her sore muscles out while the girl considered her words. Once she felt better, she bent over and proffered her hand to the strange girl on the ground, wearing her cheshire smile.

"What do you say?" she said simply.

The girl's features were inscrutable, but her own hand came up and clasped the pale woman's own, who pulled her to her feet.

"Shit" Lutz muttered. Both woman and girl ignored him.

"So then, now thats out of the way "Koko said, releasing her grip. The girl looked at her askance as her own arm fell "what is your name?"

The girl looked away for a moment in contemplation. While she did Koko discreetly motioned for the despondent Lutz to relax. When she looked back, the first thing she did was to tap on her top. After that, she tapped on her glove, then her shorts, then lastly her boots.

"Charades eh? Okay then. Lets see, clothes?" Koko suggested, earning a glare and a shaken head. She frowned.

"Black then?" she tried. The girl nodded. She then looked around on the ground, searching for something. Her head stopped and she bent over, plucking something off the ground. She then held it out in her outreached palm.

"Thats a rock" Lutz said the obvious, bringing his despairing attention back to the current situation. She nodded again.

"Black rock. Nice name" Koko started. She paused when the girl turned away, facing an errant direction away from them or the building. Her left arm came up, apart from her body. Flashing lights came into existence at her elbow, racing down her arm creating dark clanking metal that assembled itself along the length of her arm. In seconds there was a small cannon in her possession. The employer quietly whistled.

An intense glow came from the end of the barrel. It suddenly blasted out with a concussive bang, startling the two adults. Only frantic gesturing from the woman kept the man from shooting. Another followed it, then another. Koko glanced over to where she was shooting, discovering to her astonishment (and annoyance) what she was firing at: a tree. Said tree had most of its lower trunk missing, holding itself up by only a thin remaining chunk. The girl stopped and lowered her weapon.

"Damn" the woman muttered.

"Neat trick" Lutz said grumpily, understandably so. The three creaked, and the untouched top collapsed to the ground with a mighty crash. The girl turned back to the two, her weapon disappearing in the same manner as it arrived in the process. She looked entirely unperturbed by her wanton description. Unseen by the trio, the trio had woken up everybody in the building. Including an unconscious boy.

"So, black rock gun?" Koko suggested lamely after a moment. The girl shook her head.

"Not gun. So, cannon? Destroyer? Wrecker? How about breaker?" Lutz offered. Each result was met by a scowl and a shake. The woman put her finger to her chin in thought. Lutz continued to throw out possible names, each one was lamer than the last. Every one the girl shook her head at. She was clearly getting annoyed with the adult's inability to infer her name from assassinating a tree.

After a particularly bad example, an imaginary lightbulb came on over Koko's head and she snapped her fingers.

"Shooter. Thats it right?" Koko asked quickly, an enormous grin forming. The girl looked at her for a second before nodding.

"Shooter? Really? Thats just ridiculous" Lutz shook his head in dejection. Koko came right up to her and stuck out an outstretched hand. The girl eyed her strangely for a moment before reluctantly mimicking her. The woman fearlessly clasped the proffered hand, shaking it vigorously.

"Well then. Its a pleasure to meet you, Black Rock Shooter" Koko Hekmatayr greeted formally. Lutz watched the exchange and grumbled.

"Valmet is going to _love_ this."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:Sorry for the wait, my moods been pretty lackluster lately.**

"Beautiful isn't it?" Koko said offhandedly, looking out the window. The view she complimented was indeed beautiful, but the boy didnt feel like agreeing.

"It is" agreed his teacher, looking up from the conundrum Jonah found himself in.

The large window showed much of the skyline of Dubai. Glittering towers of metal and glass rose into the cloudless azure sky. To one side, the Persian gulf stretched away into the horizon, endlessly blue as far as the eye could see. To the other, poking through the large number of buildings was the dull yellow of the desert. In the center was the tallest skyline in the world, with the awe inspiring Burj Khalifa tower rising well above the rest. The hotel they were in overlooked much of the city, allowing for the fantastic sight. The pale woman had a knack for picking scenic locales.

"What about you Jonah?" she asked, turning around with her arms crossed. Her cast came off only a day ago, but she gave no sign of discomfort.

"Its nice" Jonah Mar replied blandly.

"Nice? Thats all?" asked his bemused teacher, bringing up a heavily muscled black arm to adjust his glasses.

'Wiley E. Coyote' was the affectionate nickname of the large african american named William Nelson, shortened to just Wiley. He was large and imposing, with wide muscles and a fearsome countenance when the mood was right. Despite his appearance however was a cultured gentleman, in both the metaphorical (courteous and civil) and literal (always gentle with his hands) sense. Jonah had never seen him get angry, or act any way cruel. No matter the time or place, he always had a word of encouragement or two. On top of that he was also quite intelligent, with a fondness for classic literature and a knack for languages alongside his multiple degrees. He also had something of a fetish for explosives, but that rarely conflicted with his nature.

"Its just a view" Jonah answered.

"No respect for the little things in life" Wiley shook his head and smiled. Koko sighed dramatically at what the boy was missing.

Jonah's conundrum was simple: they wanted him to be taught. He didn't. Since his formal education was practically non-existent Koko decided that while he was with her and her group he would be brought up to speed. The half complete english paper in front of him, something out of Bristol's public school curriculum, was only a tiny segment of that teaching. It was rather simple really, but he was struggling to complete anything past the basics. His frequent efforts to escape weren't helping his progress.

Jonah subtly refocused his eyes on Koko's laptop, which she left behind to get a view of the city.

"Whats that?" he asked, pointing to the screen. His plan worked; she took her attention off of him. She walked back over and tuned the machine around so he could see.

"This? Latest list of known assassins. In this business" she touched something and the page began to scroll, showing a multitude of different people "fair play is a foreign concept. Theres plenty of people that want to bump me off. Fellow arms dealers, dissatisfied customers, intelligence agents, et cetera. It pays to know who's after you" she answered, bringing the page to a stop. The pictures it was stopped on showed a smiling man in a black suit, a strange looking man wearing sunglasses, and a blonde women that had a sizable bust. Jonah leaned in closer to skim the small text.

"Evan Sor, Shisho Gussipe, Irina Jelavić" he read their respective names. No matter the description, each one had cold eyes.

"When we're done with this we'll go over the list. In the meantime" Wiley smoothly got back on track, thwarting the boy's attempt to avoid the work. He explained as clearly as he could while Koko closed her computer and left the room.

Outside the boss lady found a sight that two weeks earlier she would've found bizarre, but now hardly paid mind to now.

"Hey guys. Hows it going?" she asked nonchalantly. After a moment of debate she took a free chair and watched the show. It was against the wall since of the room's furniture had been moved around, creating a makeshift arena where Valmet and Black Rock Shooter had decided to spar. The former wore a tank top and cargo pants, while the latter was bedecked in her full outfit, large black coat included. From her position she had a good view of the large emblazoned star on the back. The reason she didn't see it during the first meeting was due to the chaos of the situation.

"Hey Koko. We're just doing some CQC practice. I gotta tell you, this is a real challenge" Valmet reported enthusiastically, taking her attention off her opponent for a moment before returning her steely gaze to the ring. A rubber knife was expertly held in one hand.

"What you see is what you get" Lehm replied sourly as he kicked back. The buildings strict no smoking policy was grating on him. Valmet took a step to the side.

"And there is a lot" commented Ugo. The thick ex-mafia driver was, like Lehm, watching the veteran and the new girl spar. Usually quiet, the dour man was delighted at the rare calm. After the chaos of late, enjoying it to the fullest was high on his to do list. Black Rock Shooter took a similar step, paying heed to nothing but the eye patched woman in front of her.

The remainder of her men, with the exception of R and Lutz (who were out, likely on patrol) were watching the duel as well. Mao, the soft spoken and upbeat former chinese artillery operator, had a video camera in one thin arm. She worried sometimes at how skinny he was. The other, Tojo, the glasses wearing JSDF soldier watched as well. Unlike Mao or Ugo who watched for entertainment, he observed out of a strong sense of paranoia. Out of all of her men save Valmet, he took to the new girl with the least enthusiasm. Unlike any of them, he hadn't warmed up to her.

She internally sighed, recalling the reception they had given upon her announcement.

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 _One week earlier..._

"Say hello to your newest squad mate" Koko introduced, taking up a theatrical flourish. Beside her the girl eyed her blankly.

So did the rest of her bodyguards.

"Really?" Ugo muttered.

"Wait, the super powered girl that tried to kill you..." R began.

"She recruited her" Lutz finished sullenly.

All of her men were lined up in front of her, immediately outside of the comfortable lodge her company owned. All but Lutz, who stood several feet away from the girl and was burying his face into his palm, muttering quiet curses. His submachine gun dangled impotently from its sling. The group's expressions ranged from incredulousness to muted concern. The last man however, countable as a half really, kept out of sight behind them to her disappointment; she wanted to see his reaction.

"Um Koko, thats...um..." Ugo trailed off trying to think of a response that wouldn't hurt her feelings.

"What brought this on?" Wiley offered. Koko's smile grew.

"Look at her" she waved her still outstretched arm at the girl "that kind of talent is amazing. The question is why not?"

"Talent" Tojo repeated dryly,

"She tried to kill you!" Valmet cried out. She had very good reason to be indignant at the strange turn of events.

"First, she was confused. Second, her goal was to get away, not kill me. Isn't that right?" she posed the last to the girl, who nodded after a few seconds of thought.

"Right boss, I know you're 'eccentric' and all, but isn't this a little too far?" R asked weightily.

"Agreed. Intentional or not, she did try to off you" Mao offered.

Lehm walked away from the little group and to the bizarre girl, watching her carefully. He stopped only a couple of feet away from her, showing no fear. The girl returned the gaze.

"Black Rock Shooter eh?" he said, sounding like a question. She nodded. He then stuck out an arm with a flattened palm. She cocked her head at the move, wondering what it was for. A few seconds of deliberation later and she slowly copied him, bringing her own out at the same position. Lehm was a heartbeat away from losing an arm when he grabbed her hand and shook it, releasing after a couple of hearty swings.

"Welcome to the team. My names Lehm" he bent over to get eye level with her "hurt my boss, my teammates, or any bystanders, and I'll kill you. Got me?" he whispered. She nodded.

His piece spoken, the man spun one hundred and eighty degrees on his heels and nonchalantly walked away. As he passed the many disbelieving eyes of his comrades he pulled out a fresh cigarette.

"She's good" was all he said before he vanished. The eclectic group of trained killers exchanged unsure glances, especially concerning Lehm's flat pronouncement.

"Well, if he thinks it alright..." Wiley said uncertainly.

"I'll roll with it" Ugo agreed.

"This is bullshit" Lutz muttered, wandering off with his face still buried in his hands.

"She's dangerous. I'll be keeping my eye on her" Valmet promised through a scowl. One by one they came to grips with their newest addition, and slowly filtered away for their own reasons, with one exception.

"Am I really the only one who thinks this is a terrible idea? This thing pulled a damn cannon out of thin air and tried to kill Koko. I can't be the only one. C'mon!" Tojo tried exhorting them to see reason, scampering off himself in the process. The pale woman cupped her hand around her mouth and shouted.

"Tojo! In a while grab Lehm and Wiley and put her through the paces!" she ordered. A lackluster backwards wave was all the acknowledgement she received.

She lowered her hands and quietly sighed in relief. Privately she half expected the entire bunch to pull out weapons and turn Black Rock Shooter into confetti. Needless to say she was glad they didn't, no matter how justified they were. She could tell that while killing her wasn't the girl's intent, Rock wouldn't have minded if she had succeeded. Having them get used to her would be a challenge. More importantly, having her get used to them would be worse. Koko wasn't worried much though; the last time she brought an outsider in they adapted easily.

"Speaking of which" she whispered, bringing her attention forward and effortlessy spotting the boy before he could make good on his escape.

"Jonah, come here and say hi" she called, a subtle order layering her tone.

The dark skinned boy looked alright, with only a bandage around his forehead indicating harm. After arriving in Essex he received a full medical examination by a battery of experts. After the day and a half he'd been unconscious the various doctors had explained to her in simpleton terms that he was in fact all right. Shaken, and with some cuts, bruises, and a tiny rad spike, but ultimately unharmed. Whatever happened on the other side of the black orb hadn't affecting his body in any meaningful way. His mind on the other hand...she pushed that line of thought out. Koko glanced over to her newest companion, and quickly suppressed a giggle as she found the girl watching some birds with wide eyes. She looked like she was amazed, almost as if she had never seen them before.

 _Maybe she hasn't_ , her mind whispered. The strange girl heard his footsteps and looked over to the approaching boy. In a split second Koko was filled with anxiety upon remembering just who proceeded the girl out of the orb. By the time she changed her mind it was too late.

Jonah stood impassively several feet away, while Black Rock Shooter did the same.

"Hi" was all he said. The girl nodded in acknowledgement.

"Well then" Koko deftly inserted herself between the two "I think that all for now. C'mon Rock, how about we-" she stopped at seeing the girl's inquiring look.

"Oh, the name? Black Rock Shooter is a little long, especially in a pinch. Is just Rock okay then?" Koko asked. The girl looked away for a few seconds in thought before looking back and nodding. Koko smiled, noticing that Jonah looked uninterested.

"Whats the matter?" the arms dealer asked him.

"Tired and hurting. Am we done here?" her bodyguard replied laconically.

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Whether the rest of them had gotten along better or not was up for debate. Lehm was fine with everything. Wiley, while cautious, made several tentative attempts at getting her to speak, to no avail. Valmet privately was hungering for Black Rock Shooter's blood, but looked to be warming up to her, albeit very slowly. Mao, Ugo, and R were on the fence. Tojo was still quietly fuming. He was utterly convinced having something as outrageous as her on board was a recipe for disaster. Koko and the rest politely ignored his rants. Lutz was still morose at the apparent absurdity of it all. But what perplexed her was that out of all of them, Jonah seemed to care the least about the bizarre girl.

"Ready when you are" Valmet challenged.

Black Rock Shooter skillfully twirled the short sword in her hand once around, her own gaze never leaving the older woman. The blade was thirty two inches long, slightly curved, and apart from some patterns on the hilt, entirely unadorned. The day of the introduction Valmet offered to spar with the girl, who agreed. Afterwards another bullet point was added to the short but growing list of things they knew for sure about her. She 'conjured' (for lack of a better term) the weapon out of thin air the same way as the cannon, light flashing included.

The girl charged. Like a lightning bolt she crossed the tiny distance, her weapon moving for a side swipe. But having fought her before, Valmet knew what to expect. She was already dodging as the smaller girl leapt. Even so, the rubber covering that her boss had made to prevent actual harm skimmed her shoulder. Black Rock Shooter sailed past her, expertly falling several feet behind her and letting her legs absorb the landing. Just as quickly she launched herself at her again, this time her feet firmly left the floor.

That was her mistake. Valmet brought her elbow up and delivered her own blow to the girl's chest at the cost of another mock blow to her arm. It spoke volumes about her that the hit, which Valmet held back only a little, made her let out only a muffled grunt. She hit the carpeted floor with a thump, landing on her back. In the precious few seconds that she had Valmet tackled her and grabbled the smaller girl's arms, pressing them tightly together. Despite her powerful muscles the cyclopean woman needed all of her strength just to hold her in place. Her face contorted in effort as she slowly drove the rubber blade into the small of her chest. Once the tip touched, the struggling girl went limp.

"Gotcha" Valmet panted, releasing her hold.

"A magnificent show" Koko praised while she clapped. Valmet stopped halfway up from the ground, nearly tripping as her balance was shifted. The powerful woman's features went red as she looked away bashfully. Underneath her Black

Rock Shooter pulled herself up and in one move was on her feet. Absently she dusted the sleeve of her coat while frowning.

"Its what I do" Valmet replied shyly, unconsciously covering her timid smile. No one present dared laugh at the one eyed fearsome mercenary with a frightening proficiency with knives acting like a schoolgirl who's crush just offered a date. Black Rock Shooter absently cracked her neck and walked to the kitchen. The older woman moved a step but stopped when her shoe touched something. She looked down to see the rubber sword coating, completely empty. Sometime in the past minute the girl had 'dismissed' the weapon from existence. Like most things about her, Valmet had no idea how she did it.

While she mused and wondered Black Rock Shooter began her raid upon the fridge. After half a minute of digging she found what she was looking for. She held up the red apple into the light, inspecting it for defects while her boot swung the small door closed with a hiss. For some time Koko worried over what to feed her; what she liked or could even eat. During their inspections the answer turned out to be, perhaps unsurprisingly, anything that humans could. Though she did have something of a sweet tooth, showing a marked preference for candy. But for some reason she had a fondness for apples, red ones in particular. According to Lehm, it was most likely Jonah's fault.

The door Koko came out of several minutes earlier swung open, the large man taking up most of the frame.

"Your turn" Wiley announced, waving Tojo on. The latter glanced at his watch and groaned.

"That time isn't it" he groused. Reluctantly he left his rather comfortable chair and trod to him, with five pairs of eyes trailing him.

Koko looked back to the only other woman in her unit and grinned.

"Say Lehm" she said, not facing the former operator.

"Yeah?" went his sardonic reply. Once the fight ended he procured a newspaper and proceeded to bury himself in it. Where he got it was a mystery.

"How do you feel about some time off?" she asked slyly. He looked up from his paper questionably.

"Why? Heading out?" he asked in turn. Valmet, who had picked up the coating and was examining it, looked at her and shined.

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"C'mon, maths not that difficult" he urged to his pupil, who's face was pressed against the desk.

"It is that bad" Jonah insisted dryly. Tojo insistently shook the boys shoulder, but he just let it happen. After a moment of pondering he snapped his fingers.

"I'll take you sightseeing if you can complete the problems on your own" he offered with a grin.

"Don't care" Jonah replied immediately. Tojo scowled.

"Fine. I'll walk you through it. Again" he said broodily while pulling up a chair. The boy lifted his head off the desk and slid the new paper between them. Tojo grumbled as he glanced at the first math question. Multiplication for this case, and not even the difficult variety.

"Now, thirty five times eleven equals what?" he asked, already knowing what would happen.

Jonah looked away as he pondered the question, adopting the same look as a philosopher trying to answer the riddle of life. Five minutes he spent thinking while Tojo's patience slowly receded. What kept him from exploding in frustration was the knowledge of what the taciturn boy soldier went through before joining the group. His family was long dead, his friends either dead as well or far away, and from what the japanese man had read between the lines of his dossier he probably had some severe psychological issues. It was a wonder he wasn't an axe crazy madman.

"Well?" Tojo prodded. Several more seconds went by before Jonah gave an answer.

"More than three hundred" he said with a straight face.

Tojo was completely still for a worrying span of time. Then, slowly and deliberately, he removed his glasses and set them to the side of the office desk, out of the way. That issue taken care off, he was free to let his head drop onto its hard surface with a reverberating thump. Face first like Jonah was and with the addition of a small amount of pain, he groaned.

"Is that correct?" Jonah asked tentatively.

"Three hundred eighty five" he groaned, muffled. The quiet sound of pencil scratching made him bring his aching cranium back up, albeit with his eyes squeezed shut. He grabbed his glasses without looking and replaced them, only opening his eyes once they were firmly back in place. Only then did he look at the boy's paper. A three, an eight, and a five were written in blocky print next to the typed problem. His pencil was hovering over the next problem. Tojo forced a smile.

"Thats not right" he said. Jonah's features fell.

"You said that was the answer" he said, betrayal written across his young face.

"It was. Thirty five times eleven does equal three hundred and eighty five. But" he reached over and gently slid the paper closer to him, to the boy's puzzlement.

"When I was in primary, if a student answered a question without showing the work, the teacher marked it wrong, no matter what the student wrote. Its not enough that you KNOW the answer, you have to show how you got it. Understand?" Tojo explained.

"Okay" was all he said.

"So in this case" Tojo pulled out a pen and began scribbling "Add a zero, carry the fifty, slap it all together and poof, work shown" he turned the marked paper back to Jonah, who looked over it studiously.

"I see" he murmured.

"See? Not so difficult. Now, whats the next one?" Tojo asked. The boy looked back at the paper.

"Seventy three times fifteen" he reported blandly.

"I know that sounds intimidating, but that one is a lot easier to solve than you think. To start with, you-" Tojo began.

Jonah suddenly stood up, pushing the chair back.

"Bathroom" he said quickly.

"Oh. Well, go then. But don't take too long. Koko will..." Tojo trailed off as Jonah moved away, to the restroom. He blinked.

"If you gotta go I guess" he murmured. He looked back and the paper and mentally went through each problem. Answering simple arithmetic was a piece of cake for him. It did make for wonderful distraction material, so much so that when he finished he looked at his watch to discover fifteen minutes had passed. He looked back over to find himself still alone.

A sinking feeling of dread accompanied him as he got to his feet and strode to the closed restroom. He hesitated for a few seconds before knocking, rationalizing the boy's absence. No reply came from the other side however. Carefully, he turned the simple brass knob and pulled the door open.

"Shit" Tojo muttered. When he let go a slight flutter noise caught his attention. He knew what it was before he even saw it. The handwritten explanation wasn't entirely as he predicted, but it was close.

 _Went for a walk be back by nightfall - Jonah. PS it is that hard_ , read the note.

"Double shit" Tojo muttered. He didn't know where he got it from, or where he got the tape that stuck it to the door. Either way, Koko would have his head for letting him escape.

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A while after he fretted his boss and his coworker were hitting up the shopping district. Dubai had wonderfully varied markets that catered to virtually everything one could want, for the right price of course. Tourism appeal at its finest. Though Koko wasn't too keen on usual trinkets, the sheer scale of what was available meant she couldn't stay away. She was almost certain she'd leave the city with a goodie or two in her luggage. Valmet's desire was much simpler: she wanted to find a gift. One glance at the size of the markets made her sure she would find something.

The two women certainly stood out in the crowd; one a pale young woman in a beach hat and sunglasses, the other a tall and well built scandinavian with an eyepatch. They were gathering stares from the locals, but fortunately they made no issue of it. Dubai was a trade port that saw people from all around the world. Dealing with foreigners was a fact of life for these people, doubly so when it came to retail. Though Koko suspected if they knew what she did for a living they wouldn't be so nonchalant. Something like lynching wasn't likely, but not out of the question.

"Ooh, this is nice" Koko cooed at the storefront. A nice watch was on display, a Rolex by the look of it. She ogled it through an inch of plate glass while Valmet stood bemusedly behind her.

"Only she would care about watches. Most girls her age check out makeup or hair care" she murmured to herself.

For the second time in ten minutes she glanced at her surroundings. The pair had wandered around checking out stores left and right until she had led them into a walled bazaar filled with shops. Though she didn't want to admit it, Valmet felt leery about being in that area. Too many spots could contain snipers, too many potential assassins could get close. Only two main entrances led in and out, and she knew all too well how easy it would be to block them; cars, bombs, henchmen, et cetera. If someone made an attempt on her life, there wasn't much she could do to stop it.

"Do want" Koko said eagerly. Valmet's worries were pushed to the back of her mind.

"If you want I can buy it for you" she offered excitedly. Koko looked back at her with light surprise.

"Are you sure? I can cover it easily" she said modestly.

"My treat. It'll commemorate our trip" the older woman eagerly. Koko looked away bashfully.

"If you insist" she said shyly.

 _Score_! Valmet though enthusiastically. Once she was inside she pumped a fist in excitement. Her exuberance lasted right up until she saw the price tag of the watch she wanted.

 _I should've thought this out better_ , she thought apprehensively. She had quite a bit of money saved away, but the amount still quailed her. The tiny watch cost more than her first car.

Outside, Koko looked up to the sky. A thin shred of cloud hung overhead, and a streak of a jets contrail slowly traced across the blue expanse. Beyond that, the sky was empty. A special shade that nothing on the earth's surface could exactly match. Absently she began scanning for other aircraft and finding nothing save the lone plane. Even though it was approximately twenty thousand feet up, she could tell it was civilian jetliner, a 727 or a 747. Her thoughts went through the mental checklist involved with getting one airborne, identifying a number of critical components. They darkened as she thought of what was to come.

Before the scenario played through to the end, a powerful grip latched onto her wrist.

"As an arms dealer, you have to know that your career will kill you someday. Why do you do it?" questioned a young female voice. Koko's smile vanished as she yanked her arm up, bringing her face to face with the smiling woman.

Girl, she amended. Beneath a large bill hat was a shockingly young woman, no more than eighteen. She wore simple clothes, something that would blend in. Though caucasian, her outfit and age combined to make a largely innocuous appearance. Even in a muslim city, she looked plain enough to be easily overlooked. Her looks were deceiving however; underneath the girl's gloved hand was a vice like hold.

"As an assassin you have no right question my line of work. I'll tell you with my dying breath!" Koko snarled.

Koko swiped her free hand at the girl. Most people under the circumstances would've used the opportunity to attempt to break free and run. Instead, she snatched ahold of the girl's own free hand, locking her in a grip of Koko's own. The girl thrashed, but she underestimated how strong the arms dealer was. Her eyes widened at the strange twist.

"Let me go bitch!" the young assassin cried out.

Several things happened in quick succession. Valmet burst out of the shop with her gun drawn. Dozens of local laws were violated, but she didn't care. Out of the corner of her eye Koko spotted a man under an umbrellaed table turn around with a pistol pointed right at her. She only got a split second glance, but it was enough for her to identify the beach shirted man in sunglasses. The girl noticed and shoved, breaking free from her suddenly limp hold. The gunman was lining up a shot, and Valmet was only a few feet away. There was no way she could reach her in time, or shoot the attacker.

A blur flashed to the side; and a hefty weight slammed into her as gunfire erupted. For a second all she saw was white. Then she and her savior hit the artistically tiled ground hard. What little air was left in her was forced out. She wheezed, hardly audible over the booming of gunfire. The white she saw revealed itself to be a tablecloth, fluttering lazily to the ground. Adrenaline was surging through Koko's system, so while it was in actuality falling fast, she perceived slowly. Slowly enough for her to count five circular holes where bullets tore through it. Painfully she lifted her head and smiled.

"Jonah, why'd you skip out on Tojo again?" Koko asked bemusedly. Lying on top of her, the boy lifted his head and looked at her incredulously.

"Y-you, you're really asking that? What the hell is wrong with you?" Jonah questioned.

"Koko! Stay down!" Valmet shouted, competing with the constant gunfire.

Jonah rolled off Koko and pressed himself flat against the barrier. She looked and discovered they were hiding behind a small rock wall. It was a simple garden, meant to add green without sacrificing ground space. She vaguely recalled reading that these things were popular in the city. It was thick enough that the hail of bullets weren't getting through. Jonah had a gun in his hand, the same one she gave him before, and was holding it above the top. He fired wildly, not hitting anything, and not trying. He was trying to keep them away from the pair.

Valmet was against a thick stone pillar, in the same straits as them. She was relatively safe at the moment, but she had nowhere to run. After listening for a second (and filtering out the terrified screaming) Koko realized there were two guns shooting. She frowned; that made the situation much harder to deal with. She calculated the odds and didnt like the result.

"C'mon bitch! You sell this instruments for a living! Why don't you join the song!?" bellowed the man.

"She's crazy! She probably can't sing worth a damn anyway!" the girl joined.

"What's the matter with these people?" Jonah muttered. He felt a tap on his shoulder. He looked to it and blushed at Koko, who was only inches away.

"Jonah, how did you get here in time?" she asked calmly. He flinched as a ricochet whistled uncomfortably close.

"I saw those two on the street a little while ago. I recognized the man from your computer earlier and followed them" he answered tersely. He leaned over for only a few seconds to squeeze off a couple of shots.

"Learn to play brat!" the man shouted, making Jonah scowl.

"He goes by Orchestra. Used to be a eight man hit group, but got whittled down to just one. That guy. I wasn't aware he picked up an apprentice" Koko explained. Her peaceful disposition was at odds with the violence around him.

"Doesn't explain that" Jonah grunted.

"Hes a nutter that thinks gunfire is music. Normally I'd just call him a loon but this does mean he probably packed a few dozen cases of ammo" she continued.

"Scream to be heard!" the man bellowed as if on cue.

"Koko! You alright?!" Valmet shouted. Koko leaned over Jonah to get a better view. She was relieved to see her unharmed.

"I'm fine, Jonah saved me. How are you holding up?" she asked loudly.

"Could be better" she answered disapprovingly. She leaned around the corner and fired twice with her glock. She dodged back around, narrowly missing the return rife.

Koko reached into her pocket and made a tsk sound.

"Out of all days" she muttered ruefully. Jonah gave her a curious look.

"I forgot my phone" she answered him. He blinked.

"You're kidding me" he said emotionlessly, for a moment forgetting he was in a shootout. She smiled embarrassedly.

"I don't suppose you grabbed yours?" she asked. He shook his head regretfully.

The gunfire tapered off. They boy's first hope was that the assassins were out of ammo. Then reason quashed the brief hope, and he quickly checked his gun to find it empty. Nervously he replaced the magazine with a fresh one. Unseen by him Valmet did the same.

"Hey you still alive?" the girl yelled. Though his ears were ringing Jonah could hear sirens in the distance.

"Yep!" Koko shouted. The man, Orchestra, grunted annoyedly.

"Damn. After such a good performance too" he said disappointedly. He shot again for emphasis.

"Hey girl! Whats your name?" Koko called out.

"Is Chinatsu! Remember that name, 'cuz its what you'll tell Saint Peter!" she yelled giddily. Koko flashed a smile.

"Can I borrow your cellphone?" she yelled.

Silence descended over the bazaar.

"What?" Valmet asked quietly.

"What?" Orchestra grunted.

"Huh?" Jonah raised an eyebrow.

"Wah-what?" Chinatsu stuttered. Jonah risked looking over the pockmarked stone barrier. She and the man looked as dumfounded as they sounded.

"I forgot mine" she explained embarrassedly.

"N-no! I'm trying to kill you! Why in God's name would I give you my phone?" the girl sputtered.

"Because despite killing people for a living you're a good person inside, and you let strangers make calls on your phone?" Koko asked sweetly.

"Are you insane?" Orchestra bellowed.

"Or is it your data plan? Extra charges for long distances?" she went on.

Jonah reluctantly took his eyes off of them and looked at her. She was smirking. Near the ground her hands were contorting around in her code sign. With dawning understanding he looked back at Valmet, who had her own phone to her ear. As he watched she clicked it off and put it away. Eight minutes, she mouthed. Koko nodded.

"You know what? Go to hell!" the two shouted in unison. The gunfire started up again, almost drowning out the wailing sirens.

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Lehm sighed as he ended the call. Ugo, Wiley, Lutz, Mao, and Tojo looked at him apprehensively.

"Okay, new rule. The little lady doesn't leave without at least three escorts. Clear?" he asked grumpily.

"Kay" the five men grimly chorused.

"Good. Next issue, saving her, Jonah, and Valmet. First we get them out of the frying pan, and put those assassins into the fire" he said, flashing a vicious smile.

"Any restrictions?" Mao asked.

"No explosives. And try to keep civilian casualties down" he answered. A hint of a frown crossed Wiley's features.

"What're we waiting for?" Lutz said eagerly, hefting a rifle.

While Lehm relayed the news Black Rock Shooter was examining an apple, utterly oblivious to the situation. When the men rose up and filed to the door, she judged it perfect. She opened her mouth to take a bite but Ugo grabbed her but the hood of her jacket. The girl jerked in surprise, dropping the delectable fruit. While he dragged her on her heels she plaintively reached for it as it fell to the floor, forever tainted. It lay forgotten as the hotel door slammed shut, its occupants off to teach the fools who dared threaten their boss's life a lesson in civility.

 **A/N: This chapter didn't go how I wanted it to, but its been this long since I updated anything, so here you are. Besides, its at 6000 words, a little unwieldy wouldn't you say?**

 **By the way, 73 x 15 = 1095, in case you were wondering.**


	4. Chapter 4

"We can't stay here" Jonah warned, crouching behind the stone flower garden that acted as an impromptu barricade. It was built for decoration, not for blocking bullets. The increasing amount of dust and flecks of gravel served as a warning to its failing durability. In spite of the situation, Koko merely smiled.

"Don't worry, they'll be here soon" she said. He looked around to Valmet to see how she was holding up. She noticed and flashed a thumbs up.

On the other side of the garden, Orchestra's gun clicked empty.

"Out of ammo?" Chinatsu asked bemusedly.

"Yeah, but I think its time to switch to a new instrument anyway" he answered. Even without looking, Jonah could tell he was grinning. Reluctantly he peeked over the top.

"What do you see?" Koko asked insistently.

"He has a rifle" he answered blandly.

"What kind?" she pressed. Valmet inched around the pillar to see. She quickly turned back around and blanched.

"AK. Or something like it" he answered. He watched as the hitman hefted the weapon and chuckled.

"Fun times ahead" he said gleefully. Before he could fire, he was (from his point of view) rudely interrupted.

"Freeze! Put the weapon down!" shouted a voice in accented but still excellent english.

Jonah and Koko looked at the source of the voice at the same time, despite both of them knowing better. Dubai police, a dozen that he saw, swarmed around the entrance of the bazaar. A cop car rolled to a stop several feet behind them. Several had handguns, several more had thickly armored riot shields. The latter ones advanced cautiously. On an impulse the boy looked to the tops of the buildings, noting in elation the telltale glint of a sniper scope. Chinatsu creeped closer to Orchestra, fortunately taking her attention off of her targets. Though he did note she now had a new gun, a small thick barreled thing he didn't recognize in her free hand. He turned back to Koko to spread the good news, but stopped when he saw her frown.

"This is bad" she murmured.

"How? We have help" he balked.

"Our 'help' are simple men who write up parking tickets, enforce Sharia laws, and occasionally bust some rioter skulls. These are professional bad guys with god knows how many kills to their name. Best they're going to do is but us a few minutes until Lehm and the others arrive" Koko explained. Disbelieving, Jonah looked to Valmet for assurance. She had the same expression.

Chinatsu ended up by Orchestra, eyeing the cops warily.

"Why are they speaking english?" the latter asked "Huh?" she went at the odd question.

"This is the middle east. Shouldn't they be speaking arabic?" he continued. She shot him a dirty look.

"Dubai sees business from all over the globe. Arabic is the primary language here, but English is a strong secondary" she explained. In return he gave her a weird look.

"How do you know that?" he asked bemusedly.

"Travel brochure. Don't tell me you didn't read it?" she chided.

"Weapons down!" a megaphoned officer shouted. A shielded cop crept to Valmet, intent on helping her.

"Leave that crap to game shows. I have better things to do" Orchestra hefted the rifle and took aim.

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In fifteen minutes the area around the quiet bazaar turned into a field camp. Police were filtering around, establishing a perimeter to keep any civilians out of the literal crossfire that was raging just beyond eyesight. Already dozens of bystanders were directed away, or in several cases shuffled into awaiting vehicles, handcuffed by on-edge officers. A number of the cops were (quietly) voicing disgust at the situation. It called for experienced soldiers, not under equipped and badly outgunned law enforcers. Any dunce could see the facts.

When two outwardly normal vehicles containing five of such such soldiers quietly pulled up to the erupting chaos, they were almost turned away.

"Anyone hoping the locals can take care of it?" Ugo asked from behind the wheel of a silver SUV, relayed via a small headset. He already knew the answer.

"Not a chance in hell" Lehm answered beside him, enjoying the outside air and its lack of no smoking signs.

"If only" Wiley said wistfully from the driver's seat of the second car, a grey sedan. Between the two were seven bodyguards, a 'teenage' girl, and a large quantity of weapons illegal in the United Arab Emirates.

"So what exactly are we waiting for?" R asked dully. The radio gave his voice a staticky quality.

"We're waisting time while Koko's in trouble" Lutz added urgently.

Lehm took a spare few seconds to see how Black Rock Shooter was doing in the backseat immediately behind him. To his annoyance she was upside down, her boots idly tapping on the ceiling while her head was either touching the floor or close to it. She knew how to properly sit in a seat, but did that anyway. Despite all the (admittedly brief) lessons on human etiquette, she seemed to enjoy misbehaving for the sole reason of seeing it get on their nerves. A week among humans and she already understood how to troll people. It was astonishing in a way.

"Not yet. Just need to have a quick chat" he replied. An officer finally noticed their stationary car and trotted up to give the same message as the rest. Lehm rolled the window down and pushed the matter out of his mind.

"Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to turn around, its not safe" the cop said to him in excellent english. Either he guessed Lehm was american or he used it for all non arabs that came by. No matter the cause, he smiled back.

"I can see that. The thing is my boss and two of my co-workers are right in the middle of that mess, so I'm here to get them" he explained. He didn't expect the cop to accept his words, and by the dusky skinned man's hardening expression he didn't.

"Commendable, but we have situation well in hand" he replied matter of factly.

No sooner did he say that a sound not unlike a large package of firecrackers going off at once echo dangerously close. The officer visibly flinched, his façade of control breaking in seconds. Ever the seasoned veteran, Lehm stared at him with a mixture of bemusement and boredom. Anger flashed across the man's features at him before he reigned his control back in. When a powerful blast boomed he flinched again but kept his composure. Only then did he notice both Lehm and the driver's reactions, or lack thereof.

"You see, my associates and I happened to be well versed in stuff like this. If you were to, say, look away for two or three minutes, we could go in and take care of those gunmen for you guys" he suggested. The cop looked back at the bazaar nervously before turning back to the leathery soldier.

"You can?" he said hopefully. Lehm smirked.

"Of course, this barely counts as a wednesday. Now before you go" he paused. The officer stopped himself from running.

"How many are there?" he questioned. The man debated with himself for a moment before answering.

"Two. Just two. They're heavily armed though, so be careful" the cop warned. His piece spoken, he sprinted off. Whether he went to keep others away or get away himself was irrelevant.

"Are we good?" Wiley asked.

 _Mmm-hmm_ , Ugo grunted.

"Lets get started" Lehm ordered.

At once six car doors opened. Instead of moving ahead to scope out the area, Lehm twirled around and walked to the passenger side door of the SUV and pulled it open. He thought that she would right herself when they exited. What she actually did was half fall, half slide to her feet in one smooth motion. He snorted at that; she was obviously showing off. After a moment of thought he remembered what she had done for them since arriving.

"So Rock, feel like making yourself useful?" he asked mischievously. She gave him a questioning glance.

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 _I don't know why I hoped_ , Jonah thought cynically.

A total of eight cops, six of them with riot shields, entered the Bazaar, while a sniper team attempted to eliminate the assassins. In under thirty seconds all but two of them were dead, and the last two were bleeding out on the pavement. Chinatsu killed all but one of the ground police, shooting their feet first and going for the subsequent exposed body part of choice. Orchestra not only killed the snipers with one well aimed burst, but proceeded to mock their shooting skills. The claim was more than a little ironic considering the hundred plus gunshots they fired at three people that were hardly armed themselves.

"These guys are real amateurs aren't they?" Chinatsu taunted, ending one of the injured men's lives. Orchestra laughed.

"Of course! Its like a chihuahua versus a doberman! Or a wolf" he laughed. Two more cops took cover nearby, but he gunned them down regardless.

Jonah scowled. As much as he didn't like it, there wasn't many options available. He had one magazine left for his sidearm. His travel bag had a MP5, but in his haste to leave he left it behind. Valmet was likely almost out as well. He entertained the idea of grabbing some of the fallen cops' weapons, but dismissed it once he mentally checked his odds of actually succeeding. If he tried, he would not only expose himself, but would leave Koko undefended. Once they were out of bullets, there would be nothing left to stop the assassins.

Then there was an explosion.

He ducked in alarm, sheltering his head. Hesitantly he rose back up and peeked over the barricade. The burning cop car was neatly flipped over to its side, ending up upside down. Black smoke roiled into the sky, and he could hear the pitter patter of falling debris. Jonah traced his gaze back to the duo to see the oversized weapon Chinatsu had smoking from the barrel. She popped the gun open, ejecting a comically large shell casing. He recognized it as a twenty millimeter grenade. Something meant for blowing holes in walls or ending unarmored vehicles, as she had aptly done.

"Hey Orchestra, check it out. Blew that fucker sky high" she laughed. The older man took his eyes off his targets and looked over.

"Damn. Talk about overkill" he replied in astonishment.

Jonah looked back to check on Valmet, discovering a factor he had entirely overlooked. The cop that tried to get to her died on the pavement, but his riot shield was left intact. While the two were distracted by the wanton destruction, she grabbed it and proceeded to make her way over to Koko and he, with the former gesturing furiously for her to come over. Although she wasn't trying to be sneaky, it took the pair a few seconds to realize their quarry was on the move.

"The hell do you think you're going?" Orchestra snarled.

He hefted the rifle, but she wasn't about to let the favor go unreturned. Valmet stuck her gun out to the side and shot at the same time as him, giving a single bullet for every three or four of his. Fortunately the shield was made of stern stuff, so the rifle fire simply bounced off. He wasn't so lucky. Standing only some thirty feet away, making no attempt to take cover or dodge, it was utterly amazing the first shot didn't put him down.

Chinatsu could see the situation and tried to take advantage of it. Her intended move was to flank the one eyed Fin, but when she tried to move more gunfire rang out, forcing her to take cover behind an upturned table. She decided to even the odds by grabbing a riot shield of her own and positioning it and herself between Orchestra and the bodyguards. Jonah's fire kept her from shooting herself. "Nicely done" Koko praised. Jonah didn't acknowledge her, instead he focused on making his last few rounds count.

A single bullet grazed Orchestra's shoulder. He looked angrily at the wound before turning back to them, his features contorting.

"You shot me!" he shouted while he reloaded. He sounded more insulted than pained.

He and Chinatsu fired. Valmet jerked over, a body length away. Though the shield blocked most of the incoming fire, it wasn't entirely bulletproof. One shot got through, getting her in the thigh. It was a testament to her skills that she kept the barrier facing them, rather than letting it drop and exposing herself. Regardless she was vulnerable now. She and Jonah were down to a few rounds of ammo apiece, out of maneuvering room, and injured. Both the assassins felt it.

"Paybacks a bitch" Chinatsu growled viciously.

Thin whistling echoed out. At once the mood was broken. The assassins kept their weapons trained on the targets while they looked behind them, where the sound echoed from. Cautiously Jonah peeked over to the source of the sound, with Koko pressing against his shoulder. He felt her grin widen.

A blank faced girl walked slowly into the bazaar. Her long pigtailed hair was glossy black in the bright sunlight. Her skin was deathly pale, contrasting with her strange black outfit. On her left side was a long black object, resembling a cannon. On her right was a short sword. She stopped in the center of the area, staring impassively.

"The fuck?" Orchestra said aloud. A quiet chuckle from Koko grabbed his attention.

"Oh you're in for it now" she taunted. Chinatsu snorted.

"Yeah right" she muttered sarcastically. She hefted the handgun sized grenade launcher and took aim.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxXXXXXXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 _Thirty seconds earlier..._

"Engage the targets. Keep them busy. While you do that, we'll sneak in and get Koko, Jonah, and Valmet out. If you can, kill them. If not, than back off and we'll take them out. Understand?" Lehm instructed carefully. The two were just outside the entrance; the others had already taken off for their own idiosyncratic jobs.

Black Rock Shooter nodded.

"You sure? We can't afford a screw up here" he stressed.

Black Rock Shooter nodded again.

"Alright, I'm trusting you on this. Give em hell" he said, jabbing his thumb up.

She walked at a leisurely pace away from him, towards the wide stone entrance. For a moment she was out of sight of the accursed sun. The shade it provided was pleasant, but she couldn't stay to enjoy it. As she crossed the threshold, the man had one last trick to play. He quickly peeked around the corner and...did something. She paused. It was a high pitched sound, similar to a bird. She sent a glance his way, but he already moved on. She shook her head and continued walking, summoning a weapon for each hand.

The two assassins had their attentions focused on her as she approached. As they gawked she examined them, or rather their equipment. In the beginning she had underestimated human weapons, but after getting injured by light versions (and after seeing an enthusiastic demonstration of the more powerful examples at their disposal, courtesy of Koko) she was intent on not making that mistake again. She recognized a type called an 'assault rifle' in the hands of the man, and a 'pistol' type in the girl's. Her eyes lingered on it for several seconds, noting the close resemblance it had to her cannon.

Behind the assassins, practically unnoticed, she saw Wiley and Mao stealthily making their way closer. Peeking over a rocky outcropping she saw Jonah, and Koko behind him. The man said something, adopting a puzzled expression in the process. The girl said something as well before bringing her mock cannon to bear, pointing it at her. Black Rock Shooter had no idea what the weapon actually fired, if she did she would've exercised more caution. The girl pulled the trigger.

But Black Rock Shooter was already moving.

In the blink of an eye she darted to the left, covering fifteen feet in half as many milliseconds. The deafening explosion behind her caught her off guard however. The concussive wave of force nearly knocked her off her feet, making her throw her arms out to balance herself. Her ears were ringing, so she missed the girl's incredulous curse. Pinpricks of hot shrapnel peppered her back and legs, tearing tiny holes in her jacket. Finally she caught herself, stomping a foot into the hard ground. She leveled a dangerous glare at the stunned pair.

"How the hell did you survive that?!" the man shouted angrily.

 _It's called a serpentine pattern. Basically weaving side to side really fast so you don't get shot. You seem to already get the gist, but remember that guns like these crap out a ton of bullets, so be careful. Works best on snipers, but with you its doable on anyone who doesn't know what you're capable of,_ Lehm's advice echoed in her mind.

She moved again, moving a small distance one direction before suddenly turning and going the other way. The man fired, liberally spewing bullets at her. Her speed was too great, and he kept missing. He tried to keep the gun's barrel on her, instead of where she was going. The girl dropped her weapon and drew another pistol which barked at her as well. Despite the high rate of fire not one shot even came close. It didn't occur to him that she was not only dodging but getting closer. The girl on the other hand did.

Black Rock Shooter leapt. She jumped high enough to clear both of the assassins' heads with plenty of room. But that wasn't her sole objective. When she first left the ground she put enough weight forward so that she would spin, performing a world class front flip. The end of her cannon began to glow. At the apex of the move she had her head, and her cannon, pointed downwards to the face of the awestruck man. With one shot she would blow his head off, ending one threat. He could only stare, astonished at what he was seeing even as death struck.

The girl however was not just standing by. Her instincts must've been especially sharp, since she figured out what the attacker was going to do seconds before it happened. As fast as humanly possible she brought the clunky shield up, jostling the man out of the way and putting it between him and the airborne girl. Too late, she fired the charged shot. Until she was flipped around the girl watched the shot race to them, splashing harmlessly against the armor. The blast, sounding nothing like a conventional gun, boomed as she completed the move and her boots slammed into the ground.

 _Strange. I've checked and rechecked, but the results are the same. That cannon of hers doesn't seem to have much penetration power. Get your head out of the gutter Lutz, you know what I mean. Anyway, the quick shot thing has a nasty effect on fleshy targets, but basic body armor lowers the damage considerably. A military grade flak jacket can probably shrug it off completely. Same for vehicles. Hell, a simple car can block the worst of it. The higher the 'charge' is, the greater the damage though. Haven't tested it all out yet, but the results here speak for themselves,_ Wiley's studious voice came back to her.

Her knees bent with the impact, absorbing her momentum. A twitch of her legs and she twisted around, sweeping the sword out while bringing the cannon into position. Since she was facing away from the imperiled trio they couldn't see her frown. The shot was supposed to kill the man, allowing her to close in and decapitate the girl. Instead she failed, and they were still alive and unharmed. Though she couldn't see them the others were close by, ready to assist. The very thought of needing help to kill such meager enemies was enough to elicit a snarl.

After a couple seconds of observation however she found her initial evaluation was slightly off. They were uninjured (at least from her, she recognized a gunshot would on the man's shoulder) but they were also stunned by her attack. The girl staggered from the attack as well as the sudden action. The man wasn't much better. He coughed in pain, waving the rifle around and spraying curses and spittle. For several seconds they would be disoriented, with their guards down.

The corners of Black Rock Shooter's mouth twitched up. She launched herself forward, not bothering with evasive maneuvers this time. The man only realized the danger when it was too late. He brought the weapon up, first to shoot the charging girl, but switched to using it as a shield. She raised the sword up high and brought it down, neatly bisecting the gun in half as well as drawing a long red line down his chest. His patterned shirt flapped open with the cut. With a flick of her wrist she twisted the blade around and swept it out wide, kicking the ground to fly past him.

Again her boots slammed into the pavement. Absently she noted a small splatter of blood on her sword hand. She frowned as the man collapsed behind her. Dismissing the problem, she swept around and brought her cannon around to the girl. In the past few seconds she recovered, keeping both her mock cannon and the riot shield facing her. However, she seemed to have undergone a peculiar change. Her body was shaking uncontrollably, with the weapon especially jerking. Ragged breathing escaped her. Black Rock Shooter had seen reactions like that after severe injury, but she looked to be unharmed. Most unusually, her features had contorted into a mix of anger and pain.

"Y-y-yo-o-ou" she stuttered. She raised an eyebrow at the sight of clear fluid seeping from her eyes. Finally she clenched her eyes shut, looking down in the process. When she looked up her features were hard. She was looking at her only.

"You killed him" she forced out, much more concise than before.

Not knowing what to do, Black Rock Shooter fell back on her short behavior lessons; she nodded in agreement. That was a mistake. The girl's face contorted into pure unbridled fury. The shield that blocked her attack was thrown aside. The large pistol, the one that fired the explosive rounds, was brought up. Reflexively Black Rock Shooter brought her own cannon up and began charging.

" _YOU FUCKING BITCH I'LL KILL YOU!_ " she screamed. She had seconds to dodge before the weapon fired.

Two shots rang out.

As quickly as it appeared her expression vanished, changing into something akin to puzzlement. She pitched forward to the ground, the weapon slipping from her suddenly limp grasp. With an air of finality she fell. Only a thud sound came from her when she hit. Her hat fell from her head and flopped on the pavement, much like she did. She was confused at what happened until she saw two red circles on her mack, staining the white shirt. Slowly Black Rock Shooter raised her gaze to the one standing behind her, the line with a smoking submachine gun.

"Sorry 'bout that. Couldnt take the chance" Lehm apologized. He lowered the weapon, noting the displeased expression on the girl's features.

"Don't tell me your pouting" he chuckled. A scowl replaced the look. It only made him laugh.

Behind him the unit assembled. Wiley had one of Valmet's arms over his shoulder while R had the other, helping her walk. The latter was doing his best to keep his grin concealed, to poor effect. Koko made a show of brushing the dust off, looking tired but pleased. Each of them had a relieved expression on, evidently glad to see her unhurt, not to say alive. There were two exceptions though. One was as stone faced as always. The other was quietly fuming. He plated himself in front of Jonah.

"Jonah" Tojo said angrily.

"Hey Tojo" Jonah replied blankly.

"The next time you skip out on your lesson again I'm going to kick your ass" he threatened.

"Lay off him Tojo. If he hadn't shown up I'd be dead" Valmet protested. He scowled.

"Speaking of that" Koko moved herself over to examine the woman's injuries. Unnoticed Lutz gave the dead girl an uncertain look.

"Looks like a flesh wound. Hurts like a bitch but you'll be fine. Just gotta get to a doctor to clean it up" R chimed in.

"Really, I'm fine. Are you alright though?" Valmet worried.

While they fussed, Black Rock Shooter dismissed her weapons. They vanished into multicolored lights, to the curious gazes of Jonah and Lehm. She suddenly picked up her head and listened. After a moment she waved a hand to Lehm to grab his attention, pointing to the entrance of the bazaar once she had it. He understood.

"Alright, more police are here. Everyone, put your weapons down and cooperate. Koko, I hope you got a story for them" he called out. A chorus of 'kays echoed.

Black Rock Shooter let her eyes wander. When they landed on the boy she stopped, leveling a stare at him. It took him a second to notice.

"What?" he asked. She gestured to his arm. Puzzled, he complied. It was then he realized a bullet had grazed him, breaking the smin and leaking some blood.

"Thanks" he said. She nodded.

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 _Two hours later..._

The police captain was as stoic as could be under the circumstances, something Koko could appreciate.

"Ms Hekmatyr" he began in excellent english "I hope you realize this is a rather...complex situation."

"I understand entirely captain. Gun battles are unpleasant things under any circumstances, exponentially more so when inside a city" she replied easily. Apart from a swapped shirt she hadn't done any changing. Despite what happened her ever present smile was the same as usual. In the rather spartan office the AC quietly droned. His desk was the closest thing to decorative she saw, and it wasn't even that extravagant, being simple lacquered pine.

"Of course. Someone in your occupation understands that well" he discreetly barbed. Her smile didn't change, nonreactive to the insult. She'd been called worse by far more unpleasant men, and unlike them he was remaining civil.

"Thats a given. Now, if I may be so bold, what exactly are you going to do about this?" she asked. Outwardly it was a casual question. He groaned and leaned back in his chair, screwing his eyes shut.

"There was approximately thirty thousand euros worth of property damage. Twenty police officers were injured, and nine lost their lives, one of them happened to be my nephew in law. Four civilians were injured in the crossfire. And there is now two bodies in the morgue. One is awaiting identification. The other has a rather upset foreign group that wants an explanation. The blame for this rests on you" he explained.

She sensed he wasn't finished speaking, so she kept silent.

"On the other hand, those two were a bomb waiting to go off. A short time ago my department contacted Interpol. They gave a rather disturbing dossier on those hitmen. Public attacks, extreme collateral damage, civilian casualties, et cetera. The damage could've been much worse. In addition, they were wanted in several countries. The man especially was an escape artist. I don't think he could've stayed in prison long enough for justice to be served" he went on.

"I feel I should point out that one of my men was injured in their attack, so we didn't escape unscathed either" Koko added. The dusky skinned man leaned forward and opened his eyes.

"Theres that. But back to the negative side, they were specifically targeting you. Your decision to be there may have been the perfect opportunity to them. As well, all of your men were armed. The weapons they had were the kind that only the military is allowed to carry in this country. The public is, frankly, riled. They need a scapegoat" he explained sourly.

"They want blood. You want to give them mine" she explained sweetly.

"Not necessarily. While I admit there is plenty in my department that believe so, I personally do not. You're not entirely innocent in this matter, but neither are you to blame. So, I'm willing to make you an offer" he finished.

"Oh?" was Koko's reply.

"You and your men have until midnight to leave Dubai. In addition, the cost of damages falls to you" he offered.

"Good, but I'd like to make a counter offer" she turned around. His features hardened.

"And that would be?" he asked sternly.

"On top of that, I'll send an expert from my company for your department. Your special unit, while brave, was woefully unprepared to the situation. These professionals can train your men to insure this incident never occurs again. All at a significant discount" Koko offered. The man blinked in surprise.

"I...see" he said uncertainly.

"I cam assure you that we have some of the finest instructors out there. And as I said, at a much lower price than normal. Sound like a deal?" she asked. He looked to be debating the offer for a moment before coming to a decision.

"That is acceptable. We have a deal" he said. Unexpectedly he stood up reached over the desk with an open hand. Koko stood as well and took the proffered hand, giving a firm handshake.

"Thank you sir. Rest assured by midnight I'll be out of your hair for good" she smoothly lied. It was a given she'd return to Dubai in the future, but by then HCLI's legal team would take care of any lingering issues. He had no way of knowing that, so he released her hand with disguised relief. Her brow furrowed in thought.

"Before I leave, you mentioned something about an upset foreign group?" she asked. Immediately his features fell.

"Yes, that. Understand that this is strictly confidential" he began carefully.

She mimed zipping her lips.

"The girl that was with the man, witness testimony said her name was 'Chinatsu', you remember her?" he asked.

"Its hard to forget someone who tried to kill you" she replied.

'Her real name was Alicia Meson. Born Canadian, part of a wealthy socialite family. Two years ago her parents were vacationing in Paris. That man attacked and killed dozens of people, her parents included. Since her body wasn't found it was assumed he kidnapped her. Her surviving family had a sizable reward for her safe return" he explained unhappily. It was Koko's turn to blink in surprise.

"Now, I will have to inform them that their missing daughter was an active participant of an assassination" he finished. By the way he clenched his fists she could tell he was upset.

"I'm...sorry to hear that. Though it's irrelevant at this point, from what you've told me and her behavior I saw, I believe she had Stockholm Syndrome. Even if she could've been taken alive, she was too far gone" she hesitantly explained.

"The criminal psychologist on my staff said as much. Evidenced by the fact that she was not wearing underwear" he dropped. Despite herself Koko did a double take.

"Wait, so the entire time she was trying to kill me..." she trailed off.

"She had no panties on. Allah knows what that bastard did to her to create such a monster" he said through clenched teeth.

"If I can offer some advice, don't dwell on it. I've seen many careers end because of such regrets" she consoled. He took a deep breath, looking to calm down some.

"Yes, you're right" he said deflated.

"Thank you for your time captain" Koko said carefully, making her exit.

Five minutes and one polite escort later, she found herself back outside in the hot sun. To her hidden immeasurable relief all of her men were waiting for her. Even Valmet, though she was obviously still in pain, along with a large quantity of bandaging. She figured they were questioned about the entire affair like she was. Since they were all in one spot the police were evidently satisfied with whatever answers they gave. She briefly imagined Jonah or Rock being questioned and had to stifle a laugh.

Before she was home free however, one last individual arrived to make her day worse.

"Outta the way, outta the way!" brandished a loud male voice in english from behind her. By the way he spoke she realized that he was an american. She turned around, noting her men raising their guard against the newcomer.

"Koko Hekmatyr! We meet at last" exclaimed a white man that marched to her. By his tone alone she could tell he was dripping with arrogance. The way he walked, the expression he wore, and the smile on his face confirmed it.

"You have me at a disadvantage mister..." she trailed off, adopting her charming smile.

 _Douchbag_ , she thought. Medium height, light complexion, and blonde hair described him. He wore a black business suit that was missing a tie, though his jacket was draped over his shoulder. With no undue sense of alarm she realized what he was.

"Jerry Schatzberg. Call me Scarecrow" he announced self assertively. Her eyes narrowed a minute degree.

"So Mr. Scarecrow, what brings the CIA here?" Koko questioned. To her delight he was caught off guard by that; it was if he didn't expect her to figure it out by herself. To her disappointment his obviously inflated ego quickly swelled back up.

"They said you were smart" he said obnoxiously.

 _Jackass_ , she mentally decided on an appropriate description.

"I'm here" he leaned in close, invading her personal space "to shut down that gun dealing operation of yours and to steal every last penny of yours" he whispered loudly, his foul breath clogging up her nostrils. She tried not to gag. At once her rating of the puffed up man in front of her dropped several levels.

"Oh really?" Koko countered, her own smile widening. Before she could knock his lights out he leaned back, taking his greasy breath with him.

"Thats right. Uncle Sam is onto you" he chuckled. She chuckled with him, to his confusion.

"Uncle Sam may be on to me, but as long as you're on the case I can rest easy at night" she casually mocked.

The astonished look on his face was something she loved to see. Especially when the thinly veiled insult finally dawned on him. She let out a quiet laugh as she spun her heels and walked away, her ten bodyguards falling in around her. She hoped two opposing things would happen in equal measure: he would quip out some insult or threat, or he would be dumb enough to try to lay a hand on her in front of multiple trained veterans, all of whom would love to harm him in some graphic yet amusing fashion. To her glee, he was far stupider than she could've imagined.

"Hey whitewash, don't think you can just walk away from me!" Scarecrow shouted, quickly jogging up to her and roughly grabbing her shoulder. The frightening grins surrounding him flew over his head entirely.

"He touched me" Koko said through her grin. Lehm, Wiley, Lutz, and Ugo roughly grabbed him and pulled him away kicking and screaming. While turning to watch the spectacle, her gaze caught Jonah, and the bandage around his arm.

"Jonah? You were hurt?" she asked concernedly. Somehow the buffoon was both cursing and yelping in pain at the same time.

"Just broke the skin. Not a big deal" he explained with a shrug.

Black Rock Shooter tilted her head at the event, looking to R for answers. He noticed and offered a shrug.

"Just the way to do things. Besides, he had it coming" he answered. Inside dark thoughts churned. He wondered if she could read minds, and shuddered at the possibility.

"You'll pay for-ohhf!"

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 **And theres another one down. Review if you don't mind?**

 **While I remember, there's a little thing I want to try. Basically assigning a song to every character. I don't know how to do a poll, but this is too minor to bother with anyway. Whatever you think, be site to leave it in a review or a PM. One restriction: no dubstep. Everything else is good to go. Have fun and gracias if you read this far.**


	5. Chapter 5

"I give up!" Tojo shouted to the wilderness, startling some birds.

"Jeez, you don't have to yell" Lehm winced. Wiley nodded empathetically.

One of the many highlights about the Essex property that HCLI owned was its relative isolation, allowing for a strong degree of privacy. A must have with a firing range. Shooting trials, explosives testing, and training exercises could be performed with impunity with little to no chance of eavesdropping. Normally the range held the sounds of gunfire; from nine millimeter pistol pops to the near painful blast of a fifty caliber anti-tank weapon that tore jagged holes in the toughest of armor (its effects on living beings were best not thought about), and everything in between.

The pale skinned girl, black star jacket and a small rock perch included, looked at him curiously as he collapsed onto the ground muttering curses.

"Alright, back up. Why are you giving up?" Lehm asked politely. Tojo snorted.

"Nothing about this damn girl makes sense. Any at all" he said angrily.

"Can I ask about specifics?" Wiley asked carefully. The japanese man's glasses seemed to flash in the bright sun.

On orders from Koko the three men had spent most of the morning seeing what the new girl could do; her capabilities, strengths, and though not acknowledged, her weaknesses. At least that was the plan, but both of the ex-deltas had found excuses to make themselves scarce in the meantime (Lehm went to nab a beer and aspirin to help his headache, Wiley scoured the internet for some information on other incidents like theirs) leaving the former JSDF officer alone with her. As the pair could see, doing that was a mistake.

"Look" Tojo gestured. The two men followed his wave, finding a series of short stakes with tiny flags down a length of the range. Lehm felt he wanted them to ask, so he did.

"Looks like a running track, right?" he asked. Tojo nodded.

'Hundred meter dash. Basic of the basics when it comes to physical fitness. All you need is a tape measure, a crapton of markers, and a stopwatch. I have all three. You know what happened?" the agitated man challenged.

"She didn't do it" Lehm offered.

"No, she did. Guess what her count was though. Go on, guess" Tojo went on. Wily wasn't sure if he was angry or frightened. Possibly both.

"Lets see, thirty seconds?" Wiley suggested after a moment of thought.

"Fourteen point three" the glasses wearing man corrected. Wiley whistled admirably.

"Thats pretty good" he said.

"The female world record is ten point four five. Male is nine point five eight" Tojo said laconically. The chirping of birds and the faraway whine of automobiles were the loudest noises in the area.

"Bullshit" Lehm said after he relocated his voice. Rather than speaking Tojo pulled out his stopwatch and tossed it to the older man, who caught it easily. When he looked at the screen, he saw the last result recorded. Carefully Wiley leaned over his shoulder to see for himself. The liquid crystal display read 14.31 seconds.

"That's troubling" Wiley said to himself. Tojo wasn't known for making things up.

"She weighs just over a hundred pounds, forty five kilos to use another metric, can run as fast as an olympic sprinter, has the reaction time of a mongoose, tough as four day old steak, and if she can't bench at least double her body weight I'll eat my shoes. Oh, and she can create a _miniature goddamn cannon out of thin air_. Troubled isn't how I'd put it" Tojo explained.

While they talked Black Rock Shooter's head moved from speaker to speaker. What they were saying perplexed her. All she did was run a short distance, but for some reason that seemed to upset them, the bespectacled man especially. They weren't afraid, none of the normal signs of that were visible. Her leading thought was that their kind had physical abilities that were far inferior than hers. Which, inferring from that, meant they were possibly envious of her. Recalling their initial introduction, it made sense.

 _Humans_ , if she had the power of speech to express the epithet.

"So why exactly are you giving up again? I thought you loved puzzling stuff" Lehm asked. A degree of movement from behind Tojo caught his attention, from the girl turning her head away from the trio. He looked in the same direction, cutting off the frustrated man's answer.

"Working hard?" Valmet greeted, waving a bad laden arm as she approached. Emitting a sigh Tojo rose to his feet while his two friends discreetly came to attention. The blank faced boy trotting behind her held a small cooler, piquing their collective interest.

"Of course we are" Tojo said sullenly. Valmet frowned.

"What's got you upset?" she asked. The flicker of her lone eye was answered by a simple nod.

"I see. Well, how about some lunch?" she offered.

"Sure" they chorused. Wordlessly Jonah opened the container, pulling out (disappointingly) water that was at least chilled, which he handed out freely. Valmet's bag had much better offerings: fresh products from the deli store the next town over. Since the food was still faintly warm, they must've drove to get it.

"I borrowed the keys from Ugo. I swear he checked the SUV over when we got back" she joked. The men chuckled with food in their mouths. She smiled too, sending a covert glance at the pale girl that watched them with interest.

"Hey Jonah, how are you feeling?" Wiley asked. The boy looked up from his own meal, a measly couple of sandwiches, to answer him.

"Fine" Jonah said. He promptly went back to wolfing down his food with no regard to taste. Wiley and Valmet shared an uncertain look. Only a couple of days had passed since Brussels, and thus far he hadn't spoken a word about what happened on the other side. He didn't seem any different, but no one could go through what he did and not come back unscathed.

"So...whats new?" Valmet asked carefully. At once the good cheer evaporated. No one needed to ask what she meant.

"For starters, Rock can run as fast as an olympic competitor" Wiley reported.

"Probably for as long as one too" Tojo added, not bringing up that _he_ was the one who discovered that. He looked at Black Rock Shooter askance, noting how she hovered around the group.

"Really" Valmet replied cautiously. She glanced at the range and its improvised track.

"Yeah. I don't think Koko really knew what she was getting into with this" Lehm said carefully, knowing how the former major responded to criticism about their white haired boss. He concealed his relief when she nodded in agreement.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't have doubts" Valmet replied, to the quiet surprise of both of the other men.

While the adults talked Jonah mechanically ate. He didn't want to go with Valmet, but he had to anyway via the simple phrase 'because I said so'. With all that had gone on all he wanted was some time to sleep. So far, not only was it not happening, but likely wasn't going to either. Koko announced plans to get back into the field by the end of the week by making a trip to Dubai in order to meet with some potential clients. His only chance to relax would be on the flight, something that failed to calm him in any fashion.

In several gulps he finished his sandwich. At the deli Valmet offered to get him whatever he wanted. Jonah didn't recognize the majority of what was on the menu (some of it he couldn't pronounce correctly) so in lieu of experimentation he went with what he knew. Wiley saw only two; he actually had five. Two of those didn't make it back, Valmet's admonishing replaced them. Ugo would throw a fit when he discovered crumbs in the seat. Once the bread was gone he pulled out the second to last item he obtained.

Jonah had opened his mouth to take a bite of the apple when he realized Black Rock Shooter was beside him. He paused; the girl sat on her haunches an arm's reach away, watching him with curious eyes. He didn't jump in surprise or anything so melodramatic, but nonetheless she had startled him. Only a flicker of movement allowed him to discover she was there at all. After several seconds of deliberation he realized that she had no ill intent, she was merely curious. With his eyes tracking her every move, he continued on. His teeth broke the skin of the red apple with a satisfying crack.

Her pigtailed head tilted to the side when she saw that. Some juice dribbled down his hand as he slowly chewed the bite. His gaze didn't leave hers as he swallowed. Her head tilted in the other direction in contemplation. For thirty seconds he didn't do anything but breathe, waiting for her to make the first move. She failed to oblige.

"You want one?" Jonah asked quietly. Her head tilted back a few degrees at the question, not giving a definite answer. It occurred to him that she didn't know what he was talking about, so he reached down to pulled out his remaining apple and offered it to her. She raised an eyebrow at his proffered hand, alternating between him and the fruit.

After deep consideration Black Rock Shooter hesitantly reached out and plucked it from his hold, her gloved hand avoiding his bare one. She eyed the red apple with abiding curiosity, turning her hand to see it from as many angles as possible. When she heard another wet crunch she looked back at Jonah, who slowly chewed another bite. Turning back to the apple, she opened her own mouth wide and brought it down on its surface in imitation. Her teeth broke the thin skin easily, and a chunk fell into her mouth.

She stopped. A stunned look came over her features, with her eyes becoming glossy and unfocused. Jonah gently set his food down and prepared to intervene. She stared blearily into oblivion, pointedly disregarding everything around her while barely moving. He raised a hand to help, but halted when her cheek bulged slightly. Her jaw worked once, then twice, then again and again until it had a notable rhythm. The distinguishable crunch of the apple faded into nothing. Then, perhaps experimentally, she tilted her head back and let it slide down her throat.

"You like it?" Jonah asked. She looked at him with bright eyes and nodded, which he replied in kind.

He turned to his teammates to find seven eyes silently focused on them.

"What?" he asked uninterestedly.

"We didn't, um, know what she actually ate. Thanks to you, well, yeah" Tojo said tentatively.

"So thanks I guess" Wiley added. None of the specialists spoke, feeling too awkward to follow up with the statement. Jonah merely shrugged and grabbed his first apple, discovering the browning fruit in displeasure. On her part Black Rock Shooter rose to her feet in simple ignorance, likely to go hide away to finish off her new treat. Finally Valmet snapped to, forcing a grin.

"Hey Rock, how do you feel about some combat practice?" she asked cheerfully. The three men looked at her alarmingly, while the girl leveled a curious glance at her.

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"Ow, ow, ow that hurts" Valmet murmured, sitting sideways in her seat with her injured leg stretched out over Koko's lap. The latter was bent over her leg, carefully replacing the bandage while Mao peeked over the back of the seat with a tiny bottle in hand.

"Complementary vodka, you want some?" he asked. Without speaking she snatched it out of his dangling grasp and tore the cap off, downing it in one gulp.

As luck would have it, an 727 belonging to Wizz Air was in Dubai international after the shootout. All of Koko's men were out of the city by eleven p.m. on the same day, before the local's deadline was up. Their collective luggage that was stowed away on board rather than being left behind (metal lined boxes with a number of Do Not Open stickers plastered all over hid their alarmingly large pile of weapons) was a nice change of pace. The situation should've left them in excellent spirits.

"I'll take that as a yes" he said apprehensively as he slid back into his rather comfortable seat. Across the isle R dourly sat back in his seat.

"Geez, it was just a flesh wound" he muttered.

"Still hurts" the boy beside him quietly reminded. His own bandaged arm stood in mute testimony to the fact. R leaned his head back and sighed.

Beside Jonah Black Rock Shooter was almost out of her seat, her face plastered against the window. She had flown from London to Dubai of course, but not during the day. The sky had clouds of many shades dispersed at random, swirling and floating in vast unknowable patterns. Above was only the dark azure of the sky and the shining sun, too bright to look at directly. Beneath was vast tracts of water and ground, steadily zooming as they moved. She had to constantly remind herself that not only was she higher up in the air than at any other point in her life, but moving faster as well. Her only complaint was the constant hum of the plane's engines.

"I'm telling you, the new title is going to be different" Tojo debated with Ugo. The pair were two rows behind Koko, relaxed yet vigilant.

"By different you mean just like that other series?" he dismissed. To the backs of R and Jonah, Lutz and Wiley were in a similar state. With no particular reason the former let his eyes wander, noticing that his partner had a set of earphones on that lead to a small device.

"What're you listening to?" Lutz asked. Wiley noticed and pulled them off, silencing whatever it was.

"What do you think it was?" the large man asked enigmatically.

"Um" he paused, trying to think of an answer that wouldn't offend him, ergo not suffering a fiery end "classical?" he ventured. Wiley smiled and handed the set over. Hesitantly Lutz complied, slipping them on.

"This" Wiley said, hitting play. Only a couple of seconds went by before Lutz frantically yanked the earphones off. He shook his head and scowled at the grinning black man.

"Really?" he said scathingly. The fast paced rap sounded tinny in the flight cabin.

Lehm shook his head and kicked back, taking his attention away from the odd pair. He pulled out a pair of polarized sunglasses and put them on, doing his best to make himself comfortable. Beside him Mao also leaned back, quietly concerned about Valmet's condition. He knew that she had suffered worse before, but normally they took a few days to a week for recuperation, not jumping immediately to a new job. Going from one to another so quickly was unusual, something that had him on edge.

A stewardess making her way down the center of the isle walked past the two women, then stopped to walk backwards with a nervous expression.

"Um, ma'am?" the young woman anxiously asked in broken english. Koko looked up quizzically from a clearly injured leg while its owner whimpered.

"Yes?" she asked expectantly. The stewardess looked away for a second to compose herself.

"Are you and your friend alright?" she asked. Koko smiled.

"Yep. She just fell down and cut her leg open, no big deal" she answered friendlily. A cursory glance at the woman revealed that as an unashamed lie.

"Um" the woman was at a loss for words.

"Yeah its fine. I just need to-ow-get some rest" Valmet joined in. After several seconds of deliberation the stewardess sighed deeply in defeat and walked away. Once she was out of earshot Jonah quietly shuffled over until he was within whispering distance.

"Koko, what're we doing? he asked bluntly. The pale woman's expression fell.

"The deadline. We needed to leave ASAP, and this was the only one I could get on short notice" she said lowly.

"I saw at least a dozen other open flights" he countered. Her gaze hardened.

"You got me. Something important is going on in South Africa shortly, and we need to be there. I'll explain everything when we get there, but for now just trust me" she said quietly, to Valmet's puzzlement.

"Okay" Jonah said, nodding blankly. Before he could leave she reached over to gently lay a hand on his arm.

"I know its unusual, but once this is over there's some R and R is on the agenda, okay?" she assured. He nodded again and shuffled back. Valmet propped herself back up and suppressed a wince.

"R and R? Any plans for that?" she asked excitedly. Thirty minutes afterwards the plane wide intercom crackled to life.

"This is the captain speaking, we'll be landing in Cape Town International shortly."

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 _Several hours later..._

Jonah stood impassively by the rented car, looking unfazed by the powerful sun. In comparison R, Mao, and Lutz were suffering under the sweltering heat. Ugo was handling it slightly better by staying in the sedan with all four of the its windows rolled down. Even Black Rock Shooter wasn't doing so well; she sat with her legs crossed in the shade of the car, stubbornly refusing to leave it for any reason. The mixed group's suffering was almost comedic, and if it hadn't been them it would have. Finally the front door of the two story brick building they were waiting outside of swung open. Tojo exited first, followed by Wiley. The latter glanced back around as Valmet steadfastly walked out. She had only a slight limp to show for her injury.

"How bad?" Mao asked first.

"Oh she's fine. The doctor just said to take it easy for a day or two" reported their pale haired boss, coming out behind Valmet with Lehm a few steps back. The older man held a small box in hand to go with his sour expression. He tried to keep it out of sight, but to no avail. Lutz detached himself from the impromptu party and slinked up close, trying to get a good look while Lehm swiped his hand away. The blonde man persisted though, and after a few seconds he discovered the secret. Despite the death glare he received Lutz broke out laughing.

"Whats so funny?" Ugo called out, unwilling to leave his relatively cool position.

"N-nicotine pat-tches" the ex-cop sputtered through thick laughter. Several snorts of laughter followed, and no amount of scowling from Lehm was able to stop it.

"You're giving up smoking?" Jonah asked. Mercifully he was the only one staying quiet. And Valmet, who had wore a hard expression since they landed.

"Yeah. I've quit before but well..." he trailed off in embarrassment.

"Alright, listen up" Koko announced in front of the car, planting her hand on her hips for emphasis. The men in front of her quieted down, though it took a few seconds for the sniggering to dissipate. Even Black Rock Shooter looked over, but she still refused to stand.

"Exposition first. Doctor Minami Amada, called Doctor Miami for short, is an employee of the Märchen corporation and a friend of mine. Its a toy company, but her work is usually repurposed into weapons" Jonah twitched at the last part, but it went unnoticed by everyone but Koko herself.

"Utterly fascinating" Tojo responded wryly. Several nods of agreement made rounds among them.

"Shut up, I'm getting to the important part. The day before yesterday I got an email invite from her to meet up. Yesterday I got another email that said someone had been snooping around her lab. Reading between the lines, someones been harassing her, possibly with the intent of kidnapping her. As a friend, I have to help" she explained.

"Question" R spoke aloud, drawing attention. He crossed his arms waiting for a reply, which he got in the form of a waved hand.

"We flew four thousand miles because your friend sent a concerned email?" he asked pointedly. Koko tried to muster up a reasonable comeback, but after a moment she simply sighed.

"Pretty much. Look, I know this is unusual, but I need to be sure. Once this is done and over with, we're going back to England and just chilling for a while. Sound alright?" she asked them.

"Kay" they chorused.

"Alright then. She said to meet up with me at an expo tomorrow. In the meantime I've already booked a hotel, and yes it has complementary concessions" she explained, drawing a few chuckles.

"Good. Any questions?" Koko asked with a smile. Valmet looked away, hiding her frown.

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 _The next day..._

"Crowded today isn't it?" Lehm observed. Jonah nodded in agreement.

"Of course. Expos are always like this. Its like ComicCon, only with more guns" Koko explained. Despite the heat she wore the same suit as usual. The man and the boy wore lighter airier clothes in comparison.

The three were standing in front of a subdued looking archway with a simple banner proclaiming the space beyond to be the 'DIESA MILITARY EXPO' of Cape Town. The area was rented from the city on an empty lot, so several of the buildings were simple prefabricated things that went down as quickly as they were built up. An eight foot chain linked fence blocked off the entire expo, and several hard faced security guards patrolled the perimeter. On the other side of the tiny arch, people (predominantly older men) crowded on exhibit after exhibit that showcased a variety of hardware, nearly all of it painted green or tan.

Koko had a rare look of uncertainty when she lifted up her wrist to look at her watch, something that didn't go unnoticed.

"Whats the matter?" Lehm asked. His voice was the same lighthearted tone as usual, but she could tell he was concerned.

"Its not the time yet, but I have a feeling she's going to be a no show" she answered glumly. He chuckled.

"Five bucks says she doesn't" he joked. Out of the corner of her vision Koko noticed that Jonah was ignoring their exchange. Instead he was looking away, in the direction of the displays. She could easily guess what he was thinking about. Just as she made up her mind to do something about it, a black car peeled up to the curb, its driver slamming on the brakes a couple of feet away from it and a few dozen from her. Her instincts kicked in to deal with the arrival, but when the drivers door flew open she had to force herself to suppress them. Jonah finally took his attention off of the expo and walked over.

"Miss Hekmatyr! Miss Hekmatyr!" cried out the driver, a black woman. She looked to be in her late twenties, but at first glance she appeared much older. She ran up to Koko and began bowing furiously.

"I'm terribly sorry!" she exclaimed dramatically in accented english. Koko chuckled and bent over so her face was level with the arrival.

"Hey Malin. Fancy seeing you here" she greeted casually. The woman looked up while still kowtowing with a nervous smile. From Jonah's position several feet away, he could get a detailed view of her. After a second of deliberation he settled on the descriptor 'plain' for her appearance. Another second applied it to her outfit, a dark brown female business suit. What puzzled him was the lines on her face; she was too young to have them from age, which meant they were stress lines. He wondered what kind of pressure was she dealing with.

"Its good to see you too. I'm here to deliver a message from doctor Miami-" Malin began, but Koko waved her off.

"Stop it. You here is all I need to know. She ran off again, and butterflies were involved" she explained nonchalantly. The woman ducked her head down.

"Yes! Thats it exactly!" she said, almost pleadingly. Koko let out a lighthearted laugh and put her hand on the woman's shoulder, leading her up.

"Ease up. Its not your fault the good doctor decided to go hiking. She did go hiking right?" she quizzed. Only her arm on her shoulder stopped Malin from bowing again.

"Yes, into the mountains. At least Mokoena went with her. He did leave a note with their GPS coordinates too" she pulled out a crumpled piece of paper and handed it to Koko, who pocketed it herself.

"Knew it" she said knowledgeably. That said, she turned on her heels and began walking at a leisurely pace. Neither of the men needed prompting as they fell in around her, Jonah leading, Lehm hanging back several steps. Malin matched pace with Koko.  
"You said Moko was with her?" she asked. Malin nodded.

"There's no way he'd let her go alone. As long as he is with her, she'll be safe" she assured. Rather than answering, Koko merely nodded.

Several paces ahead Jonah walked. He was aware of his surroundings, he was aware of Koko's presence, aware of the conversation between her and the Malin woman, and he was aware people around him. Yet his thoughts were elsewhere. Every spare second he wasn't checking the people he was staring at the exhibits. His default blank expression, coupled with being in front, prevented them from discovering how he felt. Or so he thought. In truth both his boss and his co-worker had experience in reading body language. The latter noticed but felt it would be better to leave it be for the time being.

"An older chinese man is interested in her?" Koko replied to the woman's explanation.

"Yes, along with a female assistant. She had a cold gaze, but past that she was rather striking. Once or twice a week he's been taking her to port Elizabeth for supper. She never says anything about their meetings but how good the food was. 'The fried rice was great' is all she ever says. The doctor can be very naive" Malin continued.

"That sounds like her. Its a little odd her message sounded urgent though" Koko replied thoughtfully. The woman shook her head.

"Two days ago I logged onto her computer. I'm sorry, I didn't know what else to do" Malin's tone edged closer to pleading, and she reflexively began to duck her head. It took Koko several seconds to calm her down enough to listen.

"Hey, its okay. You did good. Actually, why didn't you just email me yourself?" she asked.

"I didn't think you would heed my message" she said, looking away in shame. Koko stifled a laugh.

"C'mon, why would you think that?" she said bemusedly. Several more minutes of talking went on afterwards, with Koko getting a good grip on the situation. At last they finished up, and she waved Malin off. Quietly she sighed. The situation was worse than she expected, more than the overworked assistant knew. In the middle of mentally drawing up a plan, she spied Jonah in front of a mock artillery piece. She moved up behind him stealthily, hoping to surprise him. When she snaked her arms around him, he didn't react in the slightest. Internally she cursed.

"You get one try to figure out what this is" she said sweetly. Underneath her grip she felt him stiffen.

"A weapons expo" Jonah answered coldly.

"Bullseye. The perfect place to find the newest in military goodies" she explained. Retracting her arms to his shoulders, she guided him into one of the open buildings. Inside there was more of the same, only with more people. Jonah heard snatches of conspiratorial conversation as she showed him around, as if she owned the place.

"...we cant make a move until they do..."

"...for two hundred million euros its a steal..."

"...that upcoming joint naval exercise with..."

"...have you seen that new model? Its amazing..."

After seeing much, he finally asked "Is everything here newly designed?" he felt her shrug in response.

"For the most part no. Some of it is new, like that" she pointed to a scale model of an attack helicopter and its plaque of information "but thats the exception. There's some local munitions companies here, but the majority of this stuff is western made upgrade kits to existing weapons. Remember when we were in that country by Russia and those hinds strafed us?" Koko asked. He nodded.

"Those birds weren't built with thermal imaging equipment that advanced. I can bet their armaments were newer too. And I can definitely bet that neither of those things, or anything else they may had, was made by the country they belonged to. Thats the trend for the modern arms trade. But that's going to change" she finished.

Before he could ask what she meant, a thick chortle echoed off behind her.

"My my, if it isn't the inimitable Koko Hekmatyr. Fancy coincidence" said a nasally british voice that dripped with patronization. Jonah could feel Koko's scowl.

"I know that smarmy voice!" she half-snarled. She let go of Jonah's shoulders and spun around with an accusatory finger. He was a few seconds behind her, coming to face against the same thing that had her suddenly hostile. One look and he could see why.

"President Curry of CCAT" Koko announced. Standing out of arms reach was an aged thick man with grey receding hair and a mocking smile. He wore a dark brown business suit with a dark undershirt, and fancy looking shoes. Flanking him were two people: a blank faced man with dark hair, and an orange haired woman of moderate beauty with an unhinged smile. The man wore dark pants and a green cardigan. The woman had a lime colored shirt and brown trousers with red glasses over her bangs. She raised a hand in greeting.

"Hey, its Koko and little Jonah" she welcomed warmly. In seconds he identified three hidden knives. He also noticed that both she and Curry held small glasses containing burgundy liquid, he suspected wine.

"With Lou and Mildo in tow of course" Koko continued, her smile returning contemptuously.

"Price of business my dear" Curry chuckled unperturbed. The corners of her mouth raised in turn with her dropping brow.

Silently, Lou stepped forward and held his hand out, offering a full wineglass. Her brow twitching in irritation, she graciously accepted. Curry stepped away to a nearby stand's partition, obviously trying to get a modicum of privacy. After a few seconds of consideration she hissed out a troubled breath and followed. Jonah stepped to join her but stopped when he felt a large hand on his shoulder. He turned, noting with a small measure of surprise Lehm.

"Not our business. Now, shall we mingle?" he asked in a way that wasn't a question. Only the barest hint of a frown crossed his features and Lehm led him to Curry's bodyguards. Lou looked at him neutrally, while Mildo smiled and reached over.

"So cutie, what're-"

"Touch me and I will shoot you" Jonah said flatly. She jerked her hand back and scowled.

"Fine. See if I care" she huffed. Lehm discreetly leaned closer to Lou.

"How do you deal with her?" he whispered.

"How do you deal with your people?" he whispered back. He nodded thoughtfully.

The number of people around them gave the similar-in-outlook but opposite-in-appearance arms dealers a token degree of distance while they quietly discussed matters.

"So thats how you got away from Major Pollack's men. Clever" Koko hummed.

"Yep. Mildo threatened to stab me if she ever saw another clown again, but it all worked out in the end" Curry finished.

"I have to remember that part about the parachute nets. Never know when it could be useful. Now that it's answered, what do you think of the expo?" she asked. He closed his eyes and huffed out a brief laugh.

"Complete waste of my time. I'll be pulling out of south and east Africa for the foreseeable future" he said causally. Koko did a double take at the news, looking at him askance. He opened one eye to the entrance, as if checking something. An uncomfortable look came over his features before he smiled agin. He stepped away from the wall and gave her a perfunctory curtsy.

"If you'll excuse me, I must be going" he said easily. Before he left she saw that look again, alighting her nerves.

She turned to wave her bodyguards over, but paused as she noticed something bizarre. The various people that a few minutes ago were gawking at the displays were dispersing away to parts unknown in an insistently leisurely pace. She saw only a few faces; they looked relaxed at first glance. Underneath however she sensed a strong current of fear. The tapping sound of a cane on concrete caught her attention, and she slowly spun to face it.

 _Note to self thank Malin when this is over_ , she thought as an elderly looking Chinese gentlemen with a cane walked to her, a thick guard at his side. His features were warm and welcoming, showing not a hint of malice. All of Koko's instincts went off, warning of danger. It was with great effort that she forced herself to approach him.

"Afternoon miss Hekmatyr. You are miss Hekmatyr correct?" he asked in english, showing a trace of a chinese accent.

"Thats right, mister...?"

"Chen. Guoming Chen of the Daxinghai company of Hong Kong. Its a pleasure to meet you" he greeted, extending a hand. Koko forced her friendliest smile on and took it, giving a firm shake.

"The pleasures mine" she replied. Thankfully he freed her hand and let his own return to his cane.

"If I may impose, would you join me for dinner tonight? If you're free that is?" Chen asked kindly.

"Of course. Business?" Koko asked, knowing the answer.

"Regrettably yes. As you can see I have difficulty standing for long periods of time" he explained.

"I understand entirely" she replied sympathetically. Jonah and Lehm discreetly took their places beside her.

"Excellent. Is there anywhere in particular you would like to go?" he asked. Koko opened her mouth to answer.

"High end Chinese is the way to go" proclaimed a male voice from behind him.

Lehm was looking over at just the right time. Koko's smile froze in a rictus imitation of a smile as her eyes went wide. He barely noticed, since he too recognized that voice. Since he was briefly stuck in place, he saw a flash of emotion across Jonah's face, more than he'd seen in a month's time. Pure hate briefly reigned before what looked like a herculean effort suppressed it. Unwilling to see the truth, he hesitated to look over the the approaching speaker. His fears were confirmed in the worst way.

Walking towards them, flanked by a rather beautiful woman sliding into middle age, was a man on his early thirties. He wore a black suit with a white undershirt and a red tie. His skin was deathly pale. His hair was almost pure white. His eyes were a piecing blue. And he had a knowing smirk on his face. He looked, down to the fine details, like a male version of Koko. There was a good reason for that. Coming to an abrupt stop several feet away, be eyed the twitching woman in bemusement.

"Mind if I join in?" asked Kaspar Hekamtyr.

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 **A/N: And another. So far this is becoming more popular than I expected. Maybe its because BRS is such a small community? Also, and I feel this needs mentioning, yes I have taken some liberties with Jormungand's canon and timeline. Don't burn me at the stake. At least not yet.**

 **For the music part, here's how far its gotten:  
Wiley: Here comes the boom by Nelly - Acidkas Lehm: For whom the bell tolls by Metallica - Me (open to change)  
Everyone Else: open for debate**

 **If there are any other suggestions, either PM me or leave it in a review.**

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 **Omake: More Dakka*!**

"Amother boat port side!" Koko shouted into her radio. At first she was having a good day sailing through fangerous waters. In an entirely foreseeable twist a group of pirates showed up demanding surrender. One speedboat had turned into three, and then a military grade helicopter had decided to join the party. For most people, it would be the time to panic and scream. In Koko's opinion, it was.

For the pirates.

"I gotcha, I gotcha" Lehm said tiredly. It was his day off, yet he still had to work. He cursed his misfortune as he hefted the heavy clattering box. A feather light tap touched his shoulder, and he looked over to the curios eyes of their resident whatever-you-are.

"We're under attack. Say, mind helping me carry this?" he asked.

Black Rock Shooter was boring holes into his back as she struggled under the weight of the box. He laughed without fear, as he was no longer in danger of throwing his back out. Once they reached the top of the bridge tower, she clumsily slammed the heavy box down with a thump. He grabbed a hold of one corner of the covering but stopped, instead turning back to her.

"For helping me, here's your reward" he said. He smirked and lifted up the tarp. In an instant her scowl was replaced with pure childlike wonder.

The weapon laden helicopter swung around in a wide arc, intent on strafing them. Once it was close enough, Lehm and Rock sprung the trap. The former yanked the tarp away, and the latter brought the M134 minigun. It fired 7.62x51 mm at 4000 round per minute. Her grunt work supplied it with a large quantity of bullets. The pilot realized the danger and tried to escape, but it was already too late.

Black Rock Shooter had the look of a child on christmas day when she mashed her thumbs down on the trigger buttons.

Bullets, so many bullets she couldn't tell when one ended and another began, blew from the gun in a cacophony of glorious firepower and tore into the foolish helicopter. Her smile only grew as the thick armor that her cannon could barely scratch peppered and crumpled under the strain of being hit by **ALL** the gunfire. In ten seconds she tore the chopper apart. It careened over the deck and over the water, billowing smoke and fire.

She turned the gun to shoot more, but it stopped on its own accord.

"Its just the stand. That things too heavy to lift, so it has to be-" Lehm explained through her ringing ears. She summoned her sword and swiped it over, severing the stand in one cut. Dismissing the blade for good, she grabbed ahold of the convenient handle and grunted in effort. Koko stopped by to congratulate Lehm on his kill, but one look and she went white(er).

Rock turned around clutching the comically oversized phallic object and flashed her a sadistic smile. Slowly Koko lifted up her radio and clicked the button.

"Tojo? I take back what I said. You were right" she said fearfully.

She leaped onto the railing, balancing with no effort. The struggling chopper thought itself safe. Black Rock Shooter nestled the end of the weapon to her side and took aim. Bands of multicolored lights briefly swam over the gun, subtly transforming it from a powerful but human weapon into a tool fit for her. The end result was something that gave all of the angels of heaven and all of the demons of hell pause, for a weapon of the gods came to be.

With an enormous smile she aimed her new sidearm and pressed down the trigger.

 **A/N: I'm a 40k fan, can you blame me?**

 ***Ork onomatopoeia for firepower.**


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter is a mess. I considered breaking it up, but since its all over one day's time, there wasn't much point. Besides, I have a schedule to keep. Also, longest chapter yet at 8,481 words. I mean, _damn_.**

 **Also, how the blazes did I get this far without realizing that I haven't said "I Own Nothing" yet? I know its obvious, but c'mon.**

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"Kaspar" Koko greeted through clenched teeth. Chen glanced between the man and the woman in puzzlement, which the former helpfully cleared.

"My mistake. I'm Kaspar Hekmatyr, of HCLI. I presume you've already met my sister?" he asked the chinese man. No noticeable change came over his features when he heard the name.

"Yes. I'm Guoming Chen, of the Daxinghai company" he greeted back, extending a hand. Instead of Koko's reluctant grip, Kaspar grabbed ahold and gave a hearty shake.

"Pleasure to meet you mister Chen" he said friendlily. The man was slightly taken aback by the outright affability he exhibited.

"I've heard quite a bit about you mister Hekmatyr, but I never expected to meet you face to face" Chen said.

"Same here. The pleasures all mine" Kaspar replied, loosening his hold.

Once he released the gentlemen's hand, Koko swopped in and insistently began pushing him away.

"Thank you mister Chen for the opportunity what time should I arrive?" she said quickly. Kaspar jostled with her, fighting her for every step while his female bodyguard chuckled, making no move to help.

"I'll...send a car around six " he answered hesitantly.

"Wonderfulseeyoutonight!" seconds later they disappeared around a corner, with the combined escorts quickly following them. The old man's bodyguard leaned over to his ear.

"Should I send someone?" he asked in chinese.

"No, it'll bring too much suspicion on us if it happens here" Chen answered in kind. He then pulled out a phone and opened up his contacts. He never felt comfortable with texting, and didn't understand why kids today loved it. He clicked the call icon and put it to his ear.

"Karen, the woman's unit is on the move" was all he said before hanging up.

Out of the way of bystanders, a very irate Koko pushed a befuddled Kaspar against a thin partition wall.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she hissed. He chuckled as he made a show of straightening his suit out.

"So paying a visit to my sister is a crime now? Interesting" he joked, making Koko's scowl larger.

"We've established this before. Southeast Asia are your stomping grounds. Africa and Europe are mine. So 'I'll ask you again: Why. Are. You. Here?" she demanded. He chuckled again, but she could sense his attitude shifting.

"Just tell her, for christ's sake" said his bodyguard. Deepening her frown further she turned her head to the formerly amused woman.

"Tell me what Chiquita?" she asked sourly. The thickly muscled woman with short hair and green eyes didn't stand out to much at first glance, provided she was in a shirt that covered up her tattoos (which she wasn't at the moment). Tattoos that alluded to a rather colorful past. One that saw years of service in the special forces followed by years of bodyguard work. While she certainly had a few close calls over such a span, not once did her charges ever come to harm while under her protection. Koko's father and her bother could attest to that. However, such skills came with a few quirks.

"Tell her Kaspar. You're the one who dragged us out here" she offered with a short wave.

"Well?" Koko hissed at Kaspar, turning back to him.

"Fine fine" he sighed dramatically. As he straightened up his smirk noticeably receded.

"Word through the grapevine says you have a new addition to your unit" he began. At once Koko's scowl vanished, replaced by subdued surprise. She quickly reigned it in, but the damage was done.

"Thats all? You flew halfway across the world for that?" she asked disbelievingly, switching directions.

"Sailed. My ships' anchored a few miles offshore" he corrected.

"We ran into some pirates on the way here too" Chiquita piped in.

"How much trouble?" asked Lehm, discreetly coming up beside her. She looked sideways with a playful smirk, taking care of him while the siblings talked.

"Three speedboats and a helicopter. An actual attack helicopter, can you believe it? Where do low-lives like that even find that kind of stuff?" she said scornfully. He nodded back, unwilling to offer an explanation that involved pointing fingers.

"So what'd you guys do?" he asked again. He already knew the answer.

"You have to ask?" Chiquita asked rhetorically. Lehm nodded and looked away, letting out a quiet sigh. He craved a cigarette more than ever.

"You're looking well" he complimented lowly.

"You too. Wheres your smokes?" Chiquita asked.

"Quitting" he answered simply. She chuckled.

"Good luck. Honest."

Brother and sister were only feet away, but it might as well been miles.

"What kind of word?" Koko asked guardedly.

"Theres not much. What is there however is...kinda bizarre" Kaspar replied.

"How so?" she pressed.

"A young girl, a kid really. She's white as a bed sheet and wears weird clothes. And she caused some nasty damage in Brussels. Not to mention those hitmen in Dubai" he revealed carefully. Koko crossed her arms and leveled a contemptuous look. She was certain he knew more, but not much beyond that. If he did he wouldn't be here.

"So you heard some news and wanted to find out for yourself?" she asked rhetorically. He let out a low laugh.

"Something to that effect. Care to share what you know?" he asked slyly.

Koko smiled enigmatically.

"Its a long and complicated story that I would _love_ to share with you, but I have business to take care of" she dismissed easily. Kaspar blinked, the only sign of surprise he showed.

"I see" he murmured. She turned on her heels, but gave one last quip.

"Stop by my hotel tomorrow night and I'll explain everything" she said as Lehm wordlessly fell in behind her. In a few seconds they were out of sight. Chiquita walked to her boss's side, planting her hands on her hips and letting out a quiet laugh.

"You got shut down" she teased. He smirked mirthlessly and straightened out his tie.

"Forget sometimes how much spunk she has. Shoulda seen it coming really" he admitted. She shot him a dirty look, prompting him to go "what?"

"We wasted a trip around half the goddamn planet, and you're not even upset?" she asked scornfully. He shrugged.

"I didn't expect her to tell me anyway. But, going off the security footage and the reports, that girl can make a hell off a mess. And I'm willing to bet that she doesn't know much more than I do. Its only a matter of time before she slips up and does something really stupid. Until then, I wait."

Two hundred feet away and gaining, Jonah suddenly reappeared to join them.

"Hey Jonah, I was wondering where you vanished off too" Lehm greeted. He fell in step without speaking. Despite wanting to badly, Koko kept quiet about the issue. She knew his feelings on her brother. While she didn't know the whole story, she did know that it was a sensitive topic, one that wasn't wise to pry. Instead, she moved onto other business. She pulled out the piece of paper Malin gave her and held it to her side, where Lehm took it.

"Here is Miami's coordinates. Go armed" Koko said simply. Lehm reached to his pocket, but checked himself.

"You got it" he replied.

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 _Hours later..._

The setting sun was beautiful to see. With no major cities nearby, coupled with the lack of polluting chemicals, the yellowish white rays of day were transformed into bright red with violet undertones that heralded night. While one side of the horizon still shown brightly, the other side was darkening by the minute. Peeking between were the first twinkling of stars. To one occupant of the SUV heading into the snow coated mountains, it was fascinating to witness. The others however, did not share the sentiment.

"I feel like I'm in a clown car" Tojo grumbled.

"Tell me about it. Seriously, nine people in one vehicle? This is ridiculous" Lutz quietly complained.

The SUV, designed to carry five in comfort, currently held nine. In the back where cargo normally was, Tojo, Wiley, and Mao sat in discomfort. In the passenger seats Lutz, Jonah, and Lehm were placed, which was only marginally better. In the front R drove while Valmet had shotgun. A frowning Black Rock Shooter was on her lap. Each one wore thick white combat uniforms, and all but one had a rifle between their legs.

"Shut up back there" R spat irritably.

"You don't get to judge from up there" Mao rebuked.

"Everyone shut up and listen" Lehm snapped. No one spoke after that, though R grumbled under his breath.

"Now that I have your attention" he reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture, jostling Jonah in the process "we're after this woman, Minami Amada A.K.A. Doctor Miami" he waved the picture around to show the team. It showed an orange haired woman with large rimmed glasses, her mouth wide open in amazement.

"She looks like a nut" Wiley insightfully noted.

"From what Koko told me she is. Apparently she took off from work and went off butterfly hunting" Lehm explained, causing a ripple of stifled laughter. He smiled for a moment before clamping down.

"Our mission is to find this woman. And if anyone gets in our way, well" an evil look crossed his features, one that promised all sorts of pain. Everyone else in the car briefly had the same malefic expression, with one exception.

Valmet was removed from her malice filled reverie by a inistent tap on her leg, who's owner had her head craned around to look at her curiously.

"Oh, um, he means we kill them if they try to stop us" she explained. The girl made an 'ah' expression before turning back around.

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Faraway, inside of a posh chinese restaurant that was in downtown Cape Town, three distinct groups clustered. The first was headed by one Guoming Chen of the Daxinghai trading company and the indirect owner of the establishment, in a position to make an important move. The second was the impromptu delegation from H&C Logistics Incorporated, consisting of Koko Hekmatayr and Ugo, present upon Chen's request. The two leaders, accompanied by their respective bodyguards (the former had a hard faced but polite man with him) were in the luxurious VIP room to enjoy an excellent meal, away from prying eyes and attentive ears.

As far as they knew of course.

"My god this is boring. Say something important already damnit" Scarecrow complained irritably, listening intently to the small headphone pressed against his ear all the same. His pleasant surroundings went entirely unnoticed, but would have gone unappreciated if he had.

Two floors down from the clandestine meeting, CIA agent Scarecrow, resplendent in a cheap suit, was in the middle of trying to catch both of the leaders red-handed in the act of illegal dealings. He knew for certain that Koko was in the arms trade, as well as a number of other activities that were against the law. Chen was a tough case; he knew the chinese business man was likely in the trade too, using his company as a semi-legitimate front for his manifold activities. Unfortunately, he had no definite proof. He had hoped that the meeting would reveal something that could bring them both down, but thus far no success.

"Couldn't you have placed the damn microphone somewhere better?" he sighed irritably, prompting a derisive snort from his partner.

"Do you realize how hard it was for me to just sneak in there, let alone bug it? Besides, I can't control what they're talking about" she replied contemptuously. No sooner than she finished did the blonde woman in a fancy black dress began slurping some noodles up with the aid of chopsticks, letting nothing prevent her from stopping the meal.

Scarecrow preferred to operate alone. In his view he was a master of operations, one that could do virtually anything with a minimum of oversight and a decent amount of funding. But occasionally some tasks came up that were too big for him to handle, or he needed some expertise in order to pull it off right. His initial contact with Koko's men and his first meeting with Chen made him realize he needed help. Unfortunately, instead of sending someone who was competent and good at taking orders, the home office sent what he thought was the worst agent they had to help.

"I am glad to see some of my info was right. Youre as big of a dick as they say" the young woman, code named Schokolade, laughed at his misfortune. He scowled impotently, absently rubbing his fading black eye.

Schokolade was the name, or code name rather, of a twentish blond woman who's defining characteristics seemed to be snark and a bottomless stomach, judging from the three bowls of food she already demolished with little sign of slowing down. The home office claimed she was 'an expert in electronic surveillance and well versed in infiltration.' From what he saw they had grossly overrated her abilities. Since he met her the day before she had done nothing but mock him, pass off blame, and scarf down food (much of it on his budget).

"Damnit. All we have is one lousy picture and some recorded banter. None of this crap is worth my time" Scarecrow bitterly complained. She snorted again, jabbing a chopstick towards him.

"Your time? I got assigned to an asshole investigating an /arms dealer/. Do you even realize what you're up against? This Koko woman has all the tools and talent to slab you and get away with it. Now by proxy I'm wrapped up in this-" her rant was cut short by him suddenly waving his hand at her while the other mashed against the side of his face. A grin slowly crossed his features.

"The waiter just busted out the alcohol. They oughta loosen their lips with a few drinks in em" he murmured happily.

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"Stop here" Lehm ordered some time ago. The party was still some distance away from the hastily drawn coordinates, but with the terrain worsening, walking was the only option. Since everyone in the vehicle was either experienced in moving through rough land or physically fit (or both, such as Jonah) it wasn't much of a hinderance however. The upper mountain cold was a greater concern, but they were prepared for that as well. The persistent problem that faced them was something no equipment could fix. Fortunately the collective experience kept the worst of expectation's nerves from gnawing too hard.

"Cold out" Mao sagely noted. Several nods of agreement followed the statement as the nine marched through the cold dark.

"Yeah" Lehm agreed, his breath making a short lived cloud in front of him. Instantly he was reminded of his self-inflicted problem and groaned.

"R, got any gum?" Wiley asked suddenly from beside him. Lehm shook his head before he could respond.

"Gum throws off my aim. I'll take you up on that offer later if you don't mind" he said.

"Sure man" R replied.

Talking died down after that. The quiet sense of unease slowly turned into furtive paranoia. Each one unconsciously scanned their surroundings for telltale hints of danger. After several minutes they forced themselves to stop, either dismissing it or laughing it off in the case of Lutz. It didn't help that three factors made it worse: the terrain, the snow, and the dark. Each one were things to be wary off, but together they made alraedy short nerves fray. There were two exceptions however. Jonah was, as always, stoic and generally unfazed by the conditions. As he marched, he noticed the last member of the team trudging away. Carefully he walked closer to the girl who was a body's length from Valmet, on point.

Black Rock Shooter looked completely and thoroughly unhappy. Her thick white uniform inflated her lithe form into a thick spectacle, and a black ski cap covered her long hair. General consent was that her mobility would be severely cut down because of it. During the ride up Lehm had expressly forbidden her from using either of her weapons until they knew where the enemy was. On top of that, up until that point she had ridden everywhere, so walking for extended periods must've been hard on her. Jonah didn't know if it was the outfit or their actions that upset her more. If there was an upside though, she didn't appear to be bothered by the cold. Warmth seemed to be a luxury back-

Before he could trace that thought Jonah went to her side and tapped on her arm, unintentionally mimicking her.

"You alright?" he asked quietly. She looked at him irritably for a moment before turning away and nodding sullenly. A quiet snicker from behind him caught his attention.

"Ah thats adorable" Lutz teased. Both of them twisted their torsos around in unison to send a death glare at him. His laugh shrunk into a nervous titter, which everyone noticed. Even the dark couldn't hide his blush when the others began muffling their laughter.

"You got told" Wiley teased himself.

"Quiet down, we're on the clock" Lehm commanded sharply.

After that, the only sound was the crunching of snow and the occasional cough. Jonah resumed walking froward, as did Black Rock Shooter. Unconsciously she began moving a little faster, catching up to Valmet in short order. Once there, she looked up for a moment to check. She kept her head up for several seconds, moving it side to side slowly, as if looking for something. After a minute or two she nodded, apparently satisfied. Tojo noticed, and he trotted his way to her side and leaned over.

"Something the matter?" he whispered. She nodded. He frowned and rephrased his question.

"Do you see anyone else out there? As in not us?" he asked again. She held up both of her gloved hands, tucking her thumbs in and extending the rest of her fingers.

"Eight" he murmured. He turned to relay the news, but was met by reproachful looks instead.

"We know. I spotted them two hundred meters back" R answered.

"What?" Tojo said in confusion.

"Two fifty for me" Wiley added.

"Yeah, get with the program" Lutz mocked, earning an elbow to his side from Lehm.

"You would have never known there was anyone there if I hadn't said anything" he chided.

"But-" Tojo turned back to the girl, but she shook her head and jabbed a thumb back the way they came.

"She was making sure they were still there" Jonah added flatly. The bespectacled man sighed in defeat and hung his head.

In front, Valmet kept her eye open for danger. She spotted several hints of hostiles, but couldn't pinpoint their exact position. She guessed they were shifting around, keeping pace and looking for a good ambush location. Something she would do. From experience she knew that on the delivering end it was devastatingly effective. Therefore being on the receiving end wasn't on her to-do list. Hence the hawk-like vigilance. When she heard someone walking to her side, she reluctantly took her attention off searching to tend to the person. She idly noticed a nearby natural trench that was waist deep, possibly a dried up river.

"What was the doctor lady's name again?" Jonah asked. She was confused for a moment at the question. Lehm and Koko both said what her name was repeatedly.

"Um, Doctor Miami. Like that American city. Why do you ask?" Valmet asked him.

"I have an idea" was his reply. A quick jog put him several meters in front of her. He came to a stop, and began doing the most ludicrous thing imaginable.

"Doctor Miami! Doctor Miami where are you! Miami!" Jonah bellowed at the top of his lungs.

Thirteen utterly shocked eyes latched onto him for all of six seconds before their owners scattered to the nearest available cover, leaving a confused Black Rock Shooter standing alone. To her credit she crouched down only seconds later while noting the locations of all of the men. Valmet took cover in the snow coated trench, alternating between looking down the sights of her Steyr and sending a furious glare at Jonah, who was still shouting. Then, he singlehandedly made the situation exponentially worse.

He raised his FNC and opened fire.

In an instant every adult winced. They also lowered themselves down further for cover. After a few seconds however, they began crawling forward. With some glances and a few hand movements they formed a rough line, advancing on their stomachs. Black Rock Shooter initially didn't, but once she realized what they were doing she tentatively began doing the same on her hands and knees. Around her arm lights began to flash, until Wiley saw and frantically gestured for her to stop. Reluctantly she did. Since he was close by Tojo called out:

"Do you see anything!?"

"No idea, just hoping someone will shoot back" Jonah said calmly. Short controlled bursts of gunfire erupted from his weapon as he swept it back and forth. Since he was shooting from the hip all his gunfire went wild, hitting nothing important. He wasn't trying to; something Lehm saw immediately. A competent team would see that it was just a probing attack and nothing more. But from what he knew about the enemy, he doubted that was the case. The boy's gun clicked empty, and he began replacing the magazine.

Sure enough, a few ear-ringing seconds after Jonah stopped shooting, gunfire boomed out. He immediately dropped to the ground, keeping the gun forward. The slight _whoosh_ of bullets coming uncomfortable close came at the same time as puffs of dirt and snow randomly exploding around them. It took a couple of heartbeats for Lehm to see where the shots were originating from. As he did more joined in, turning one shooter into several. Under his breath he whistled appreciably. If the group had walked two hundred feet further, none of them would have left the mountains alive. His respect for their leader went up at the same speed as the troop's decline.

On their side they responded as he expected them to: each one with a rifle looked down the sights and opened fire. Short controlled bursts, just as Jonah did. Roughly one in fifteen had a tracer round, letting the group know exactly where to concentrate their efforts. Thus far none of them seemed to be having an effect, but each knew it was only a matter of time. The only two who refrained from joining in were Lehm, who was staring down his telescopic sights waiting for an opening, and Black Rock Shooter, who treaded a different path.

One confirmative nod and multicolored lights rippled down her arm, forming a weapon in seconds. With only the barest hint of caution she dashed to the front of the line, coming to a halt at the end of the riverbed that Valmet and Jonah were using. She swung the glowing cannon up and let loose a charged bolt of azure light. The men had to force themselves not to follow on the otherworldly sight.

The shot impacted the cover the enemy was using, but seemed to have no effect. She frowned and charged another. Before she finished gunfire peppered her position, forcing her back down. On the upside, it gave her the chance to charge more. She swung it over to fire again but more bullets focused on her, making the shot fall short. She tried again twice, only to have the same result occur. Even silent, her snarl was heard.

"Give me a sec and I'll lay down some suppressive fire" Valmet shouted, but the girl seemed to ignore her. Instead, she backed off several feet. The cannon broke apart into lights as she shifted her stance, adopting a concentrated look as well. Instead of dispersing it as she'd done before, the lights extended outwards, doubling in length. The lights solidified into metal, forming something never seen before.

Despite the danger the team took their attentions off of the battle to stare at the wonder. The previous weapon was dubbed a cannon based on the appearance. What she wielded now however, more closely resembled a chain gun. Three long barrels protruded out, linked into a mechanism that looked like a motor. Underneath was a sizable drum shaped construct and a helpful tripod stand, while up top a convenient handle was placed. Fearlessly she grasped the oversized weapon and leaped atop the trench as if it weighed nothing.

Barely audible in the din, Tojo was muttering "just being paranoid Tojo. There's no way that's possible Tojo" rather vindictively.

Some part of it activated mid jump, so when she landed a powerful whirr was echoing. The three worryingly large barrels began to spin. Lehm had an idea what would happen when it did, so when a deluge of blue bolts simply spewed out he wasn't as awestruck as he would have been, but not by much though. The roar, sounding nothing like a normal gun, boomed out at the same speed as the shots.

The enemy stopped firing, taking cover as the tide of firepower viciously swept their position. Left and right she raked the weapon, letting the entire area get torn up by the blue shots. Against their better judgment the team also stopped, staring incredulously at the power she so causally wielded. Then, almost as soon as it began the firepower tapered off. In seconds whatever was powering the weapon shut off, making it spin away the remaining momentum until it was still. Afterwards, there was an uncomfortable, ringing silence. Wiley discreetly checked his watch to discover less than a minute had passed.

Black Rock Shooter glanced to her side to see Jonah nearby, who despite himself was looking amazed. She managed a small smile before a boom echoed out. Suddenly she jerked to the side, doing what at first glance appeared to be an artful spin, as she fell off the small lip of the trench and fell on her back. The oversized weapon vanished into flashing lights. Valmet and several others swore as she took aim and fired once more. In only a few seconds it was if nothing had happened.

Then, a very different report echoed out, briefly bringing the gunfire to a halt.

"The hell? Why'd they stop?" R asked in confusion.

"Someone over there panicked and cut loose to early. Guess he paid the price" Lehm answered grimly.

Meanwhile Jonah took the opportunity to crawl over to the injured girl. She had her back pressed against the snow covered trench, the uninjured arm clutching the wounded one, hissing in breath. He saw the lucky shot had only grazed, gouging her coat and taking out a bit of flesh. Nothing serious by any means, but her expression had him concerned. Rather than pain like anyone else would have, she had something that strongly resembled anger. A great deal of it.

He raised his head to yell for Valmet, but stopped. The cyclopean woman wasn't shooting. She was lying on her stomach, completely still except for her breathing. Being behind her he couldn't see her expression, but he had an uncomfortable feeling on what it could be. Then, with a total lack of concern over the dangerous situation, she slowly came to her feet, leaving her Steyr forgotten on the ground. Jonah got a brief glimpse of her face when she did. A twisted smile that brought a terrifying chill to him independent of the cold adorned her features. Her lone eye blazed with something he recognized: single minded madness.

Her hands drew both her sidearm and her combat knife, just in time for Black Rock Shooter to sit up.

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"Enjoying yourself miss Hekmatyr?" asked Chen. The brightly lit room had soft music in the background, showing off the intricate aesthetic that decorated the room. Only five people were in the VIP suit; Chen himself wearing a relaxed suit, his bodyguard in his own black suit, the woman's bodyguard in similar attire and an uneasy expression, a trustworthy waiter, and Koko herself, wearing a fetching black and purple silk dress.

The latter smiled mirthfully while she held on precariously to the swaying glass of wine.

"Whats that? Oh yeah I am, excellent wine thank you" the normally composed woman answered, a slight slur to her words.

"Thats good to hear" Chen said pleasantly. He too had a glass, but thus far the only drink of it he had was a perfunctory toast earlier. Ugo noticed that, among other things.

She should really be cut off at this point, he fretted internally. He spared a glance at his counterpart, finding no change from the stone faced but considerate man opposite of the small table across the room from the leaders.

"Someday I would like to have a glass with your older brother. A pity he couldn't come tonight" Chen went on. Koko chuckled.

"Believe me, thats a blessing. My brother likes to gulp down his meal. He doesn't have the taste for all this fancy stuff, its all fast food for him. Not that I mind the occasional burger myself" she bantered. Even firmly buzzed, she could see a shift in his expression.

"Some of my associates in Asia have had contact with the man. From what I have gathered you and him have quite different operating styles" he said.

Downstairs, Scarecrow grinned.

"There we go, just as I said they would" he gloated. His smile changed into a frown when he saw Schokolade's concerned look.

"Didn't that strike you as odd?" she asked.

"What?"

"Chen all but said he was in the arms trade. Why would he do that?" she went on.

"They're drinking and in a VIP room. The question is why he wouldn't?" he refuted. She didn't reply, but the concerned look stayed.

"The whole point of this little job is to get them to slip up. We know that they're in the arms trade. The main thing I wanna know is how Chen can run a legit business and run guns at the same time. Once we have some solid intel, I'll bring the hammer down on them both" Scarecrow explained.

Above, Ugo noticed the bodyguard tensing up.

"I realized this when I discovered that both you and I have had repeated contact with a japanese scientist that lives in this country, one Minami Amada. Your brother, to the extent of my knowledge, hasn't" Chen explained.

"Yes, her assistant mentioned you when we spoke earlier. Shame she didn't stay longer, then you would know the doctor was in the mountains. She loves those butterflies" Koko replied cheerfully. She brought her arm up to cover her mouth in order to stifle a laugh.

"So I've noticed. If I can be so bold, what is on the horizon for you, miss Hekmatyr?" he asked blandly, all trace of mirth gone. Koko smiled with red cheeks, not laughing.

"Its a secret" she replied. The corners of his mouth tilted up a few centimeters.

"I can't help but assume you and I have the same goal. It would be most beneficial if we worked together to achieve it" Chen suggested.

"Thanks, but I'm afraid I'll have to decline your offer" Koko calmly rebuffed. The warm room seemed to cool down several degrees.

"If your worried about someone interfering, I can take care of them easily" he went on.

"Thanks again, but that isn't an issue" she went on too. Across from Ugo the bodyguard's chopsticks snapped.

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Lehm scowled; he had wasted half of his bullets firing at the fools, and this far he had nothing to show for it. The rest of the team was having just as much luck as he was, i.e. none. He took a second to look over his rifle before sighing. It wasn't the weapon's fault he wasn't hitting anything. He shook his head and focused, just in time to see Valmet darting away.

"The hell? What's she doing?" he said confusedly.

Several feet away Black Rock Shooter brushed off Jonah and rose to her feet. Blood leaked down her arm, but she didn't seem to care. Her sword materialized in her tight grasp, despite his attempts to help.

"Wait, you're injured" he protested. She leveled a hard glance at him, silencing him in an instant. She rolled her head over her shoulders in time with her arms, loosening her joints. Jonah wisely backed up a few feet.

In the blink of an eye she was off, leaping over the trench and hitting the ground beyond running. Lehm saw her and swore.

"Is everyone going going kamikaze today!?" he fumed. He clicked onto his radio and commanded: "Valmet and Rock just took off, give em some covering fire." They didn't respond, but in a moment their fire noticeably shifted. Several of the shooters had to duck down to avoid being hit, giving both of the women an opening.

Valmet charged with reckless abandon. A distant part of her noted how suicidal she was acting, but it was firmly ignored. Bullets patterned the ground around her without scoring a hit. A fallen tree provided cover for the soldiers on the other side, as well as a good block to shoot from. She vaulted over the top, landing right next to a man in white camouflage. He could only stare in bewilderment at the knife bearing woman with an eyepatch right next to him. Too late he reacted, trying to bring his rifle to bear.

A whitish blur flew whooshed by her, knocking the man off his feet. Valmet was momentarily confused until she heard a sharp cry of pain, followed by the unmistakable sound of a blade cutting flesh. She went on guard as the white thing slowly rose from the fresh corpse, a long blade flicking to its side. It turned to its side to level a testy look at her. She realized it was the girl, looking angrier than she'd ever seen before. Neither moved for several seconds, the woman because of how dangerous the girl was looking. Another shot boomed nearby, reminding them both of the situation.

She turned and ran, not sparing a backwards glance. Valmet nodded and took off herself, running in a different direction. She had a different target.

Valmet suddenly stopped and mouthed " _No_ " in silent terror. For several seconds cold panic gripped her as she lost track of her target. She swung her head around, unwilling to give up when she was so close. Then a gunshot rang out, different from the rifles the others carried, missing her by inches. Instantly she locked onto the source, and in a baffling lack of sense, ran right towards it. She smiled the whole way. She ran, adopting a zigzag pattern to avoid being hit. More shots, identified as 45. caliber, came perilously close repeatedly.

When she finally caught sight of the attacker, dozens of yards away from both groups, she had to suppress a great deal of excitement. The shooter was a chinese woman in a dark outfit, dark gray pants and strangely a black tee shirt. Around her waist was a belt of equipment, including several spare magazines. Two empty holsters were on her sides. In both of her hands were pistols, she couldn't tell the type in the gloom, but she could easily see a bizarre and most definitely not standard modification on both, six inch bayonet attachments. She was rather pretty, but had a cold look to her eyes.

"So you're the one leading these guys" Valmet said, smiling in anticipation while she idly twirled her knife. The woman nodded carefully.

"That I am. I have to say, you and your group are pretty smart. Too smart for your own good" she punctuated her sentence by firing both her guns.

Valmet ran with wild abandon, or appeared to. The woman gave chase. When she did she was surprised by the eyepatched woman twisting around and letting loose a hail of fire with her own gun. Both women sprinted, the gunfire from both missing (though not for the lack of trying). Adrenaline surged through Valmet, combining with her formidable skills to create a dangerous machine. All extraneous information, such as the gunfight nearby or the few screams, went unnoticed.

Her 'random' movement lured the hostile woman in closer without her realizing it. Once she was roughly fifteen feet away she suddenly changed direction towards her attacker, bringing her knife to bear. The woman saw it coming, raising her bayonets to block the blow. It worked, both blades clashing with the weight of two furious combatants. For a moment there was a stalemate as neither could gain the upper hand.

"I should introduce myself. I am Major Sofia Valmer, ex-major rather, of the Finnish Rapid Deployment Force" she greeted, strained by the effort. The woman grinned herself, also struggling with the effort.

"Names Karen Low. Nice to meet you" she replied, the words at odds with the aggressive delivery.

"Thats a very distinctive combat style you have there. Not a lot of people can do that. I would love to know where you picked it up from" Valmet proposed. A mirthless chuckle escaped Karen's throat.

"Sorry, not much of a talker" she rebuffed.

"Thats alright. I'll get some answers from your rotten corpse!" Valmet brought her knee up in a kick, which the woman retreated from. It wasnt meant to hit, only to break the deadlock. One of Karen's guns swept downwards, slashing at her face. The edge cut her cheek, fortunately on the blind side. She did not notice.

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 _We're getting nowhere here. Head to the bathroom and see what you can get_. Scarecrow's words echoed to her for the twentieth time. No matter how many times it do though, Schokolade didn't think any higher of it. She sighed. The women's restroom was nice, if nothing else.

"Asshole. Oh well, while I'm here" she murmured. She had just looped her fingers through the waistband of her panties when she heard the door open. She perked up, abandoning her action to listen. Footsteps, loafers by the sound of it, clacked their way over. Suddenly her door rattled.

"Excuse me, someones in here!" Schokolade squeaked anxiously. Whoever it was stopped, before the door creaked in stress. The blonde was confused for a moment before she had a terrible premonition to look up. She gasped.

"Koko! What the hell are you doing here!?" she shrieked. The pale woman was leaning over the top of the door with a drunken smile.

"Schokolade. Just the person I wanted to see" Koko said, still buzzed.

"Bu-wait! You used my code name, how do you even know-?!" she tried to question through her abject terror. Koko grunted in effort as she hauled herself up, and with a mighty heave she hefted herself over the top. Her black shoes hit the tiled floor without slipping, and her dress fluttered around her. Schokolade shrieked again in surprise.

"What the hell! Why'd you do that?! Im on the-"

"Shut up" Koko commanded flatly. The agent clamped her mouth shut, looking fearful.

"I keep tabs on everyone who follows me, especially nosy CIA agents like Scarecrow. Now, theres a message I want you to pass on to your boss. I advise you to hear it, unless you want to die. Listening?" she said calmly. Eyes wide in fright, she nodded.

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The white clad soldier fired in panic. The **thing** kept coming closer, somehow dodging every bullet. No matter what any of them did they couldn't stop it. It had already killed two men with a damn sword, cutting them open, and was coming for him. His gun clicked empty, just in time for the human shaped creature to dash past him. He never felt the cut, and he was dead a couple of seconds later. His body fell in a head while his head landed nearby. His eyes blazed with abject terror.

Black Rock Shooter's mood was improving. Between the cold and the walking and the effort, she had a foul disposition. Getting shot again had removed the last bit of patience. Normally she preferred longer ranged combat, but there was something relieving about CQC. Fighting with a sword did wonders for alleviating her anger. The fact that none of these humans were skilled combatants was, on a level, disappointing for the lack of challenge. In her current state however, they was acceptable.

The next one was mildly smarter; instead of shooting he turned his weapon away and drew some small object. She had an idea what it was (based off of experience in Dubai) and internally commended him for using his head. She slashed the sword and severed his arm at the elbow before he could pull the pin, then swiped it back. The wound stretched from shoulder to waist and went in several inches. If he wasn't dead already he would be soon. She drew back and shoved the point through his chest for good measure before moving on.

After him was a nearby man, who unfortunately had her in his sights. He suddenly jerked to the side, blood splattering the falling half as he collapsed without a sound. She frowned in disappointment before shaking her head. Her senses scanned the surroundings, looking for more. There was the fight between Valmet and the other woman, but she didn't want to intrude. She heard footsteps, but when she turned to face it she saw only a unsettled R.

"Easy killer, easy" he soothed. He had his rifle against his chest and both hands out to urge her. Rock realized that she was breathing hard, so with conscious effort she slowed down, forcing herself to relax.

"Okay...you good now? Not going to, you know, stab me or anything?" he asked nervously. She closed her eyes and nodded.

"Right. Well, we got em all. You got three, Lehm got two, Wiley and Lutz got one. Theres one left, but Valmet said its not a problem" he explained. She cracked an eye open.

"I know, I know, but she knows what she's doing" he replied. She let out a quiet breath, relaxing her stance.

"Alright then. We better get moving, the others are waiting on us" he said. Black Rock Shooter nodded and flopped an arm away. He understood what she meant and started walking. She fell in behind him. He tried to not think about the large splatter of blood on her uniform.

Fifty feet away Lehm, Valmet, and the black clothed woman were staying still, with the latter hunched over the ground. She tightened the grip on her sword as she walked, preparing to draw her cannon if things turned ugly. She calmed down a bit when she realized the enemy was injured, spotting the bloody arm and leg from the distance. It occurred to her that she was still injured herself, and reluctantly took her eyes off of her to check her arm. The wound was still leaking blood, but it wasn't anything they couldn't take care off. When she looked back she saw that the two had walked away, leaving the woman alone.

Black Rock Shooter shook her head in patient disappointment at her survival. She considered going over to finish the job, but with the team putting distance from her there was a chance she could get left behind. While getting lost wasn't something she feared, she didn't want the trouble of adapting to new surroundings so soon. Plus, her feet were sore. She was new to the sensation and thoroughly disliked it.

"You alright?" she turned her head to the side, where Jonah was walking. He had his weapon cradled against his chest, and was looking at her with measured concern. She nodded, somewhat unconvincingly.

"We're good now, you can put that away" he said, nodding at the sword. She glanced at it in consideration before dismissing it. A flicker of light went out and her hand was empty. The two walked side by side under the faintly brightening sky for what felt like hours.

Apart from the crunching of sticks and snow, the occasional yawn, and Lutz's whimper of pain at the flesh wound on his ass, the group was silent.

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An insistent and out of place beeping went off, to the unsurprised look of Chen.

"Oh, my apologies. Do you mind if I take this?" Koko asked, pulling out a satellite phone. The old man smiled and waved an affirmative. A second later another went off, this time from the bodyguard. The two answered at roughly the same time, and listened for about the same span. She nodded and clicked the phone off, standing up. Behind her Ugo did the same, taking his place behind her.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not feeling so well. Its probably best to call it a night" she said apologetically. Chen grasped his cane and shakily rose to his feet. He kept his face neutral, but she could see the concealed pain underneath.

"I understand. Forgive me if I don't walk you out" he replied in the same way. His own bodyguard took a mirror position with Chen. The two groups perfunctorily bowed together.

"Its alright. I'll find my own way back. Thank you for the lovely evening" Koko said. Chen smiled, almost convincingly.

"It was my pleasure. Have a safe trip" he finished.

Koko left with no fear. The building was densely populated even at the late hour, so the chances of something happening were practically nil. Part of her bravery could be attributed to the alcohol, though only a small portion. Ugo didnt share her confidence, so once the pair was near the exit he leaved over and whispered:

"Did something happen?"

"Lehm and the others pulled through with no problems. We're all good" she answered. A moment of thought passed before he asked another question.

"You think he's going to try something?" Her smile widened.

"Definetly. That was the reason for this outing really. In his place I'd either make it look like an accident or a mugging" she answered. The large man paled.

"He drove us here" he thought aloud.

"I know. Thats why I made arrangements" she replied. Ugo wanted to ask, but the building's exit loomed ahead. Once he was close he realized there were two people standing outside, one face he didn't know, the other he recalled after a second. The former, a blonde woman he pegged as an american, was smiling and waving enthusiastically. The man was scowling at both the woman and Koko. The faint outline of a fading bruise traced around his eye.

"Koko! Over here" the woman greeted.

"C'mon, move your pale ass" Scarecrow said irritably. He visibly gulped at the large driver as the wind visibly picked up.

Ugo would've loved to exploit that fear, and if he wasn't out in the open, virtually unarmed and with zero transportation, he would have. He was saved from having an unseemly breakdown by a familiar whopping sound from above them. The breeze transformed into a powerful gale, with the whop becoming a deafening roar. He looked up and had to restrain a cry; Koko was occasionally a miracle worker, but the large, heavily armed Hind helicopter coming to land in the middle of the street was something else entirely.

"Oh, is that the new mark five Hind?! I didnt know it was operational yet!" Koko exclaimed over the noise, sounding like a schoolgirl.

"Yeah it is, now get the fuck on board!" Scarecrow bellowed.

Inside, the bodyguard lowered the phone and cupped a hand over the receiver, dreading what was to come.

"Hekmatyar escaped. She somehow called in a helicopter" he said carefully. Guoming Chen was still for a worrying span of time. The bodyguard was unsure what to do when, in one motion, he raised his cane and smashed it against the chair, breaking it and shattering the cane. He snarled in fury and pain as he collapsed to the floor. He rushed to the old man's side to help, curses going off right by his ear.

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 _Several hours later..._

"Wow. Its the one part of the mountain thats warm" the large african man said in wonder while he removed his thick jacket. His pack of supplies laid nearby, with an AK-74 and a smaller pack beside it. For the first time in more than a day he felt almost at peace.

"Not just warm, but full of butterflies!" cried out his boss and source of most of his problems in life, the kooky looking japanese scientist Minami Amada.

She hefted her large net and ran through the large and beautiful clearing, laughing maniacally. Plants and flowers bloomed all around them, and swarming through the air were butterflies. Despite his dislike of the insects Mokoena had to admit it was quite impressive. After the grueling hike (which the small woman went through without complaint) it was quite relaxing. She swung the net, gently catching one butterfly. She reached inside and plucked it out, a small degree of disappointment coming over her.

"Close, but not quite what it said. Could I have gotten wrong information?" she mused. Dr. Miami scuttled to a bush, following another specimen. When she reached it however, she heard a rustling sound. She grunted in confusion and stood up, coming face to face with a brown skinned boy.

"Gah!" she cried out, jumping a little. After a second though she realized he wore thick winter camouflage and had a white taped gun across his chest.

"Dr. Miami?" he greeted blandly. The woman adjusted her glasses to get a look at him.

"Hokd on, are you one of Koko's men?" she looked over his shoulder to see several others in a similar state fanning out to secure the area "yep" she said.

Mokoena almost had another panic attack at the doctor's cry. Once she identified them he calmed down, letting out a nervous breath. He let out a quiet chuckle at his foolishness and turned around to make a meal, locking eyes with a stone faced girl in bloody white clothes, who looked at him curiously. Dr. Miami heard a strange flopping sound from behind her. She twisted around in confusion.

"Moko?"

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 **Tune in next week for the world premier of "Rock-chan and friends!" at 7! Check your local listings.**


	7. Chapter 7

_Essex county UK, eight days later..._

 _Crunch._

She bit into the apple, taking a juicy chunk into her awaiting mouth. It was the fourth of such, leaving less than half of the red fruit remaining. Her delight was marred by that observation. While she enjoyed the treat immensely, she had leaned the hard way that consuming too many too soon caused...problems. The stomach cramp it created last time made her double over in pain, and nearly caused Tojo to lose a limb in her anger. She internally sighed at the regrettable circumstances that denied such pleasures.

Instead of dwelling Black Rock Shooter leaned her head back and stared into the endless blue expanse of the sky. While she had grown used to its presence she still hadn't lost the amazement at seeing such a thing. Thinking of that brought a slight smile; very little that she had seen since arriving in this world hadn't amazed her in one way or another. How humans could live in a place like Earth and still be upset was something she doubted she would ever figure out.

While her mind was busy contemplating existence, a light wind blew. All around her leaves rustled, obeying the whims of the warming spring weather. She was high enough up to get a clear look at the sky, but not enough to have a completely unobstructed view. That could be rectified by standing up, which would defeat the entire purpose of sitting down to rest. It didn't bother her too much though. Her perch was comfortable enough, and certainly more secluded than it would be otherwise. She felt a light chill, coming from her jacket being off and hung over a nearby branch, but again she didn't mind. Since it was midmorning it would warm up soon anyway.

Another quiet rustle sound came, making her freeze. She immediately recognized it was not the wind. The apple hung away from her, the slightly browning treat held in a still grasp. The forearm of that limb had a small pad of white gauze taped on. Another rustle from the direction of her feet, and her free hand came off of her stomach where it was resting and formed a fist. With deliberate care she scanned her head around to see what it could be. The occupied arm drew back for her to jump to her feet in a hurry, if necessary.

She suspected danger, but what it actually was turned out to be little concern. A small creature, no bigger than her fist, was busy inspecting the branch that she was sitting on. Its movements were erratic and jerky, no smooth flow like anything else she had contact with. Brown fur like stuff coated its tiny body, save for a brown appendage on its head and two black beady eyes. After a moment she recalled the name the others had given it: swallow.

Curious but no longer alert she relaxed, letting her hands resume their original positions. The bird pecked at the branch for an indeterminate amount of time, searching for something. Whatever it could have been, it didn't find it, and it leaped off the brach. Its wings unfolded out and it soared away with a dissatisfied chirp. She watched the spectacle with interest. The bird didn't seem like it noticed her presence, though it was possible it simply didn't see her as a threat.

 _Crunch_ went another bite. Black Rock Shooter glanced back at the apple and scowled. Most of the meat was gone, leaving behind the core and the ends. She shook her head at her carelessness, obviously overestimated how much was left. According to the others only six a day was recommended to avoid the cramps, and the one in her hand was the third. She leaned back and sighed at the misfortune, tossing the core away.

Her misery didn't last long however, for only a few minutes later she heard a human voice echoing nearby.

"Rock! Ro~ock! Black Rock Shooter!" after a seconds of recollection she determined the owner as Mao, perking her interest. She had no problems with the man, and as far as she knew it was vice versa. So then why was he wandering around and calling her name?

She leaned forward and adjusted herself, going from a peaceful sitting position to crouched over. Then she crawled towards the end of the branch, taking care to not rustle the foliage too much. Several feet before it tapered off (where she knew it wouldn't support her weight) she spotted him through the leaves, steadily making his way closer.

If her interest was piqued before, it was bubbling now. He was in light airy clothes, not quite enough for the brisk weather. She saw the standard boots he usually wore though, the kind that he took when they were hiking. Considering how the forest floor was littered with sticks and leaves, it meant he expected to run in a moments notice and not get impeded. Strangely enough, he was unarmed. She didn't know what to make of that.

Mao stopped a few paces from her tree and sighed irritably. "Damn that girl. Can't ever just stay in sight, always have to go hide somewhere. Probably already back there already" he muttered. She was mostly certain he didn't know she was a dozen feet right above his head.

"And I was supposed to call them in an hour. No way in hell I'll make it in time" he mumbled, making the motions of looking around. She shimmied back to snag her jacket, sliding it on in one smooth motion. Whatever noise it made was lost in the breeze.

When she checked Mao again he continued to glance around and mutter. He sighed and started to leave, but stopped. He walked cautiously to the edge of her tree's radius, looking at something on the ground. From above she couldn't see his expression. He bent his knees down, coming to a crouch. Then he extended his arm and plucked something from the grass. With a start she realized it was her apple core.

Black Rock Shooter came to the conclusion that there was no more reason to hide, so she subsequently abandoned her cover. She crouched low and moved quickly to the end of the branch. Unlike before, she neither slowed down or stopped. When she felt the support giving away she fell to the side, putting herself into a flip. The fall was only a dozen feet, nothing to be concerned about.

Mao heard the leaves rustling above him, but he initially dismissed it as the wind. When it suddenly intensified he got worried in a flash, and looked up. The girl slammed into the ground with a concussive thump barely two feet from him.

"Haah!" he cried out, spilling backwards in fright. Impulsively he kicked his legs to back away, getting quite a distance before reason reasserted itself.

He breathed heavily as she stood up and looked at him with a puzzled expression. Five more breaths followed before he sputtered out a sigh and dropped his head into his palm.

"Don't, don't" he exhaled again in defeat "don't do that again" Mao said quietly. Eyes closed, he moved his hand from his face and planted it on the ground to steady himself while he stood up, while the girl cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"Right. Koko called a meeting at the pillbox" their pet name for the firing range's pavilion "and she wants everyone there. And well, short stick" he admitted with a shrug. Seeing the blank stare he decided to leave that alone.

"So, lets go?" he invited cautiously. As always, she said nothing in response. Or did anything else. He knew she knew exactly where it was, so the only logical possibility was that she was waiting on him. He did some mental calculations and didn't like them. So instead, he went with another route.

"She brought treats" he said simply. Her gaze had wandered in the few seconds, but it instantly locked onto him.

"I think she said sherbet" he went on, making the girl cock her head to the side questionably "Oh right. Sherbet is like ice cream, but made with fruit juice. Its really good" he lied. Her eyes practically glowed with anticipation.

"Everyone else is there too. If you don't get there in time..." Mao left hanging. His ploy worked; almost too fast to see she turned and dashed away, inhumanly fast. He chuckled at his deviousness before he realized two things. First, she would reach the place in a minute at most, meaning he would be last. Second, she would discover there was no treat waiting. He recalled the shootout with the mercenaries in Africa, and bolted off as fast as he could.

She ran with wild abandon. Trees, shrubs, puddles, she flew by all if it, nothing slowing her down. Half of Black Rock Shooter's mind was focused on the obstacle course that was the property, which despite being rough posed little issue. She hardly minded that she was running faster than Tojo's tests in the beginning (where she had held back), incidentally breaking a world record in the process. Even less of her cared, since the other half of her mind was fixated on the prospects ahead.

A while ago she had tried fruit juice, and liked it. Not long after that she had tried ice cream, and although her head had felt like it was going to burst afterwards, she enjoyed it a great deal in spite of that. Combining the two was something that had never occurred to her. Her mouth was beginning to salivate at the idea.

The back wall of the pillbox loomed before her, approaching fast. She didn't slow down, instead she jumped atop a convenient low hanging tree trunk and ran to its edge. Using it as a springboard she leaped, clearing the ten feet to the next tree, where she repeated the process. Beyond that was the sloped metal roof. It was slippery, too smooth to dash across without incident, as she discovered too late. A foot from the edge her boot slid, and she half fell over the other side. Fortunately her hand grabbed the edge of the roof to correct her fall, allowing her to flip and land on her feet.

Black Rock Shooter's boots slammed into the ground, similar to Mao just a couple of minutes earlier. She let her legs bow with the impact to absorb her momentum, diffusing it with a flutter of her jacket. At once she turned to the shaded interior, and the stunned looks of everyone inside.

"Uh, hi there" Wiley hesitantly said, as the closest.

She nodded perfunctorily and scanned the inside. Only a couple of tables were under the pavilion, each one had a few guns placed upon them. Worry wracked her features as she gave a quick inspection of everyone there. She saw no sign of anything that looked like food. She turned to Koko, who had risen from her chair and approached her.

"You look like your puppies missing. Whats the matter?" she asked bemusedly. She wore a white skirt and a brown sweater, in addition to her ever present smile. Black Rock Shooter gestured around the group and threw her arms up, drawing everyone's attention.

"Everyones here except Mao. Koko sent him out to fetch you" Valmet supplied, leaving a rifle alone as she stood up.

"Is Mao hurt?" Lutz asked, doing the same.

She scowled and waved her arms around the area again. Lehm chuckled as he leaned against the wall. Everyone circled the girl to see what the problem was, except Jonah. He had his sidearm disassembled and was busy cleaning it, ignoring everyone else. She grew furious at their inability to understand.

"Okay, lets get this organized. Is Mao alright?" Koko said. The girl sent a harsh look at her before nodding testily.

"Maybe someones supposed to be here that isn't?" Ugo offered.

"Or something" Tojo piped in.

The girl clenched her eyes shut and let her head fall. A sound that approximated an exasperated sigh escaped her mouth. Several of the eclectic group exchanged worried looks, wondering just what could be making their odd companion upset. Their individual trains of thought were stopped by the sound of breaking underbrush, followed by a wheezing scratched up Mao rushing around the corner, getting a similar reception.

"Hey guys Rocks on her way here we need to oh shit" he sputtered, frozen in his tracks. Fifteen eyes swiveled from him to the girl. She stared at him with a narrowing gaze, her sword materializing in her hand.

"Oh kay, how about we just calm down" Ugo said as he deftly inserted himself between the two "and we take a nice deep breath" he breathed in deep as an example. Black Rock Shooter still glared, but she dissipated her sword. He took that as a good sign.

"So, whats the matter?" Koko turned to Mao. He nervously scratched the back of his head.

"I, em, said there would be sherbet" he admitted. A few awkward moments passed before any of them made a sound, Valmet being the one breaking the silence by smothering a laugh.

"She was upset since there wasn't any-any" she couldn't finish her sentence. Everyone who was spectating began sniggering as well, even Koko joined in. Mao scowled.

"Its not funny" he scowled.

"Oh yes it is" Lehm laughed.

Koko laughed for a moment, until she noticed the pale girl glaring at her. It took her a few seconds to get herself back under control. Once she felt reasonably back to normal, she turned to the boy's direction, noting that he was still busy with the gun. Only at first glance though, if the twitching corners of his mouth were any indication.

"Jonah, time for the package" she announced.

He put down what he was doing and reached to the ground by his side, grabbing something. The girl flicked her eyes around, noticing some shifting smiles. Blank faced, he walked over to the two with a small black bag in hand. Wordlessly he handed it to Koko, and stayed put by a discreet gesture by the white haired woman. Black Rock Shooter tilted her head to the side as she opened the top and rooted inside for a second before producing a small leather object and some papers, which she presented to her.

"Ta-dah, heres some gifts" she said beamingly. The girl took the proffered items, turning the objects over in her hand. The numerous papers were covered in small black print, full of information she neither understood nor cared for. She examined the object, discovering it was folded. It had several pieces of plastic and papers inside, including a strange one on display. In the corner of the plastic was a picture of her...but different.

"Some falsified ID, several hundred american dollars in cash, a few passports, and the info to a swiss bank account with all your earnings" she explained. The girl held the leather package apart from the rest, eyeing the false picture of herself.

"Thats that ID we used at the airport getting into the country. Hopefully in the future you'll have an easier time than Jonah" Koko explained again. She nodded, recalling last occasion.

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 _Six days earlier..._

The british customs official glanced at the card. Then back to the girl. Back at the card. And the girl again.

"Miss Sauders?" he asked at last. The dead faced pale skinned girl in the bizarre clothes in front of his desk holding her sign rigidly, hardly moving, nodded in acknowledgment. He felt an uncomfortable shiver crawl up his spine.

"What seems to be the problem?" asked the similarly pale woman standing beside her. She wore a white business suit and had both arms akimbo. He wouldn't admit it, but he found her constant smile almost as creepy as the girl.

"I'm afraid your niece is going to be detained for a security check" he said carefully, knowing how people tended to react to that. She surprised him however. Instead, she lazily walked closer to his station, where she dropped her voice down several octaves. Blake Rocca Sauders watched her with interest, along with several of the dangerous looking men behind her.

"You and I both know thats a waste of time" she said smoothly.

"Still, there are procedures..." he tried to explain.

"Give me one reason why" she declared confidently.

"Her outfit?" he started with the obvious.

"Its called Gothic Lolita. Its all the rage in japan" she seamlessly countered.

"She could be carrying weapons."

"Checked in Pretoria and patted down earlier. Besides, where would she be carrying any?" he thought he heard someone behind her snort.

"She's unusually pale."

"Doesn't get out much. Had to drag her out of her room for this trip."

"Hasn't spoken a word."

"Accident when she was young." He went for his last card.

"The two scars on her torso?" he gestured to the girl. She had dropped the small paper sign that said 'hello I am Blake Sauders I am Mute" to her side and was staring around. At their angle, they could both see the long stitched scars on both of her sides. She leaned in closer, cupping one hand around her mouth conspiratorially.

"Part of that accident. She doesn't like people pointing it out" she whispered. She backed up a foot and smiled. The official wracked his brain, but couldn't find anymore good reason. He sighed.

"I did approve those five jap kids yesterday" he murmured.

"Well?" she asked pointedly. He sighed again and gave her papers the 'clear' stamp, just in time for a metal detector nearby to start going off.

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"I'll keep ahold of your documents. Whenever you want to see them or want some of your hard earned cash, just ask me" Koko explained. Rock nodded and held the wad of things back to her. She took everything but the folded item, which she insistently pushed back.

"Keep the wallet" she insisted. The girl gave the small thing a once over before shrugging and stuffing into one of her coat pockets (noting it was the first time she'd used them).

"Kay, next, the special gift" Koko said, her emphasis not going unnoticed. She reached back into the bag and pulled out something that she concealed from view. Rock saw that everyone seemed to lean in, except for Tojo. His growing smirk set off alarms in her head, but she couldn't act on them at the moment. The white haired woman threw an arm out with its outstretched palm. Cradled in her palm was a small grey box.

Hesitantly, Black Rock Shooter reached out and took it, making sure she didn't touch her skin. The box shook with something inside, piquing her curiosity. She looked back up at Koko, who merely gestured at the box. After examining it for a moment, she found that the top came off. The anticipation ate into the small group as she finally slid the top off and beheld what was inside.

She lifted the small black device out and looked at Koko with a raised eyebrow.

"Its a smartphone" Lutz commented. Koko's smile grew a few degrees.

"Exactly. In this business communication is important, and since you can't talk, we needed a good workaround. Charades can only go so far after all. Look at what just happened" she gestured around "we had no idea what it was you wanted. If lives were on the line, we'd be in deep shit" she explained.

The girl turned the small device over in her hand, examining it in detail. Possibilities hitherto unconsidered filtered through her mind at the thought of the thing. Holding it, she could communicate with the humans almost optimally. Being able to get her point across without resorting to the ridiculous act sounded like a good idea to her. A faint smile ghosted her lips.

"Give it a try" Koko suggested.

Black Rock Shooter stared uncomprehendingly at her. Seeing the woman gesture at her again, she decided to press on. She turned the phone over on her hands, looking for...something. Anything that could make the thing function. Feeling along the rim she felt several protrusions, but nothing obvious. After watching the girl fumble with the phone for a full minute Koko cleared her throat.

"On second thought, Lutz'll teach you later" she said. The girl looked back to her with a look similar to gratitude. Lutz groaned.

"Okay, last item" she turned to the group to speak, bringing out several questioning looks on the process.

"I know I said we were going to have a few weeks of R and R, but..." Koko stopped as a round of groans went through the group, Valmet and Jonah notwithstanding (for noise anyway, the former's features dropped).

"Quiet, I wasn't finished" she ordered. At once they did, though the disappointed looks remained. Rock wondered how she did that.

"But, fortunately for us its really simple. In a few days there's going to be a conference in London discussing the modernization of Country A's and Country B's air forces, UAVs in particular. Usual civilized approach" Koko explained.

"Non war zone stuff?" Lehm asked.

"Thats right. We're not going into a gunfight this time, just cart me around and look tough" she finished. Though signs of the weariness remained, they perked up considerably. Not quite enthusiastic, but no longer as down.

"And thats the meeting. Now" she spun around to Mao, who froze in fright. The groups attention shifted accordingly.

"You made a false promise to this poor poor girl" she stepped sideways to the girl, going behind her to wrap her arms around her "that there'd be some sherbet ice cream. Now you have to pay the price" she said dangerously. Koko could feel the hostility radiating off of the girl at the unwelcome contact, so she wisely retracted everything that was touching. She had the feeling a quick lead filled death wasn't enough deterrent to stop her from removing a limb or two if she kept ahold.

"Well, I, um-" Mao sputtered, looking ready to run. Not that he'd get far.

"Was going to ask you why you did that, its not like you" Wiley observed.

"Yeah Mao, what gives?" Ugo asked. The man fretted in place, trying to put his explanation into words. Finally he sighed and dropped his head. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, clicking a button to flash the screen.

"I was supposed to Skype in forty five minutes" Mao shyly admitted. Koko raised an eyebrow.

"Skype? With wh-" she stopped mid sentence, her eyes going wide in understanding. Black Rock Shooter glanced around and noted everyone doing the same, with the sole exception of Jonah. The two youngest members were the only ones not understanding.

"Riiiight, sorry, forgot entirely. Okay then, you have the next three hours off" Koko announced, her smile returning. Mao too smiled in relief.

"Thanks Koko-"

"When you're back on its punishment time" she interrupted, causing a ripple of evil smirks. Mao's expression froze in place as blatantly false cheer.

"Thanks a lot" he said through clenched teeth. She waved him away, and he quietly (that they could hear) bade a farewell.

"Now then, any questions?" Koko asked the group once he was out of hearing range. Several of them looked at one another and shrugged. Only the boy raised his arm.

"Jonah" she acknowledged.

"What was the problem with Mao?" he asked bluntly.

"He went to go chat with his family. Last I checked its about midnight over there" she answered. He raised an eyebrow, making several of the men chuckle.

"What, thought all of us were loners?" Lehm posed. Jonah took a moment to ponder the implications of the statement, gazing away in the process. Koko felt a poke in her midsection, finding out with no surprise it was the girl, looking at her curiously.

"Im going to guess you don't know what a family is" she ventured. Rock nodded.

"Thats a long and complicated explanation that I'm going to pass on. Once Lutz teaches you how to use the phone he'll explain" she answered, prompting the man in question to go "oh c'mon!"

"Anything else?" she asked them again. This time no one responded.

"Alright then. The conference is in two days, so rest up" Koko ordered. On cue, they chorused "kay."

The pale boss turned on her heels and strode away. She wasn't around the corner yet when she heard Tojo speak.

"Hey Rock, got a minute?" She stopped mid step, twisting her torso around and wondering if she did just hear that.

"I wanna try something. You game?" he asked. Koko turned around and walked carefully back the way she came, attempting to hear.

"Oh this is gonna be good" she heard Ugo comment.

"No kidding" Wiley agreed, tantalizingly out of sight.

 _What are they talking about?_ she wondered. A scant few seconds later she received the answer.

"Can I try shooting that cannon?" Tojo implored. She blinked in surprise as sniggering echoed.

"Get your damn minds out of the gutter" Valmet admonished.

"Sorry man, you walked right into that" Ugo joked.

Koko walked around the corner to the pillbox, wearing a questioning look. The group quickly realized her presence, and made a show of straightening up to face her. She flicked her eyes over and saw that Jonah was still occupied with cleaning his gun, the FNC to be exact. The girl faced her with an expression she hoped didn't mean "save me."

"Hey boss, guess what" Lehm prodded, making Tojo send a scowl his way.

"I heard. And I'm a little peeved you were planning to do it without me. Shame on you" she said, putting her trademark smile back on. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Valmet blush. She wasn't sure why, she didn't say anything dirty.

"Um, kay how about we get started. Wiley, the camera" Tojo turned to speak. The man in question pulled something out of his carrying bag and walked over, flicking it open. Koko realized it was a small video camera.

"Ready when you are" he reported. Tojo nodded, moving to the side to put both he and the girl in the same shot, leaving the latter look at them both questionably. The large black man pressed a button, making a small red light flick on. One hand came off the camera and extended a thumb.

"Right. Im Akihiko Tojo, and this is Black Rock Shooter" he said, gesturing to the girl. She sent a confused look at both of them.

"Manning the camera is William Nelson, A.K.A. Wiley" the man flipped the camera up to give a brief smile before turning back to Tojo, who was waving his arm around the space.

"And acting as witnesses to this experiment are-" he started to list names before Lehm interrupted.

"We get the picture, on with it" he said abruptly. Tojo huffed while Wiley suppressed a snicker.

"Fine fine. Alright, from previous testing we have a rough idea what shes capable of, but while we were in Africa she demonstrated abilities beyond our, and by that I mean my, expectations. For instance, while pinned down by enemy gunfire she manifested an entirely different ranged weapon than what we've encountered before" he narrated to the camera.

"Yeah, that thing was like a minigun. Crazy shit" R added.

"What he said. If the normal cannon is like a carbine, than that was like a light machine gun. I'd ask why she never said anything about it, but, well" he gestured at the girl, who was still in the dark.

"Kinda sad I missed that" Ugo said wistfully.

"You shoulda been there, Lutz got a bullet to the ass" Valmet joked, making the blonde man scowl at her.

"Moving on. Today, I plan to test if a human being can use her weapons. The sword would probably be easier, but as a basic melee tool its not really an indicator. Besides, no one here knows how to use one" Tojo continued.

"Betcha I can use it" Valmet boasted.

"Tojo, just get to the point already" Koko snapped, making him wince.

"Okay okay, jeez. Rock?" he said to the girl. Wiley moved the camera closer as she sent a questioning look at Tojo.

"Bust out the cannon" he said. Black Rock Shooter hesitated for a few seconds before she stuck her fist out. The lens of the camera traced the expanding lights that traveled down her arm, creating metal out of thin air.

"As you can see, shes creating a weapon out of thin air. Needless to say this violates several laws of physics. How she does this is completely unknown, and unless we can find a team of trustworthy scientists who won't blab, its unlikely we'll ever find out" Tojo narrated during the process. She swung the cannon around, pointing it down the range. Wiley wisely backed up a few feet.

"Now that thats done, can I give it a try?" he asked, as politely as possible.

She appeared to mull over the idea, giving the idea more consideration. Finally she exhaled. She brought her free hand up to the end of the cannon, where it connected to her arm. A curved piece if metal was pressed against her arm from halfway up her forearm, encasing her hand. She touched something on it, making the chunk * _click_ *. Then, while they watched, the casing gave away, exposing her lower arm. Both men leaned over her to see.

Inside, a small bar went under her arm, going past her wrist. The bar led to a strange looking, but still recognizable pistol grip, which her hand was wrapped around. She let go and slid it out, revealing a normal looking trigger, minus a guard. Her free hand was holding on underneath, and the gun hand took a spot farther up. Black Rock Shooter turned to Tojo and held it out.

"Oh. Okay...here goes nothing" he murmured. Tentatively he out, grabbing ahold of the bottom. Once he seemed to have a good grip her hands fell away, leaving the otherworldly weapon in the human's hands.

"Details" Wiley gently prodded. Tojo lifted the cannon up and down, testing its weight.

"A lot lighter than I expected it to be. I'd say four kilos, give or take" he explained.

"And composition?" the black bodyguard continued, ignoring the cautious but maddeningly curious group approaching closer, trying to see better. Strangely the girl seemed nonchalant.

"Feels metallic, but a little glossy. Kinda like pencil lead to be honest" Tojo reported, feeling along the side of the weapon. He would've continued if Koko hadn't nosily cleared her throat.

"I can understand why you're nerding out, but we kinda want to see some testing" she gently ordered. Both men looked at her sheepishly.

"Ookay...um, onto testing" Tojo said uncertainly.

He ceased pawing the weapon and returned to the matter at hand. With one hand underneath as support, he carefully slid his hand into the firing mechanism. Immediately he frowned.

"Whats the matter" Wiley questioned.

"This things tiny. Makes sense though, since its built for her hands. I'm having a little trouble squeezing in...there" he said in relief. A large smile taking hold, he turned the end of the weapon downrange, getting ready to shoot.

"Okay, take one. Preparing to fire in three" at once the anticipation in the small area increased severalfold.

"two" Jonah quietly left the gun alone to lean over.

"One-" * _snap_ *

Tojo's expression froze in place. Along with everyone else in the vicinity.

* _crack_ * the end of the barrel began vibrating from the man's trembling hands.

"I, um, seem to be having some technical d-difficulties" he said breathlessly.

* _crack_ * the end dipped down, from Tojo's supporting hand breaking through the underside. He yelped and dropped it, yanking his hand away. The tight hold kept it latched to his arm for a crucial second before sliding off. The one of a kind cannon flew off his hand towards the wall. Koko and Valmet frantically dodged out of the way. It fell short by several feet, sliding for a few inches before coming to a rest.

The entire group (minus one) watched the thing in wonder. Before their eyes the cannon was breaking down. It was as if it was rusting away, but at a lightning pace. The metal crumpled and disintegrated, falling in on itself into smaller and smaller pieces. It went on until there was little more than a shrinking pile of dust. A few paralyzing seconds passed before a convenient wind blew, gently scattering the remains into oblivion. Wiley relentlessly recorded the entire event.

" _Shit_ " Tojo whimpered. His fave frozen in a rictus of horror, he turned agonizingly slowly to the girl. Shocked eyes from everyone turned as well.

"I-I-I-" he sputtered. Her weapon was gone, lost forever. And he was to blame.

Black Rock Shooter shared impassively at him. Her expression was unreadable as she raised her hand, clenching it into a fist. Tojo clenched his eyes shut, fully expecting to get run through. His breath came in ragged bursts, unable to keep his terror under control. Flashing lights raced down her arm, assembling into a weapon. In seconds it was formed. After several seconds of not dying, he squinted.

A perfect replica of the cannon was in her hands.

"Oh" Wiley grunted in surprise. Lehm walked up to the girl, giving the cannon an appraising eye.

"I think I get it. If its not held by you, the thing disintegrates. Excellent safety feature" he calmly praised. Lutz and Valmet thoughtfully nodded.

"So its sorta like a crysknife" Ugo added. Several questioning eyes were turned his way.

"What? Just because I'm a wheelman doesn't mean I can't read" he replied indignantly.

"Alright" Koko swiftly crossed the room and put herself in front of the girl, bending over and planting her palms on her shoulders. She bristled at the contact.

"You're not mad that Tojo broke your gun, are you?" she asked pointedly, making the man jump. The girl shook her head.

"Fantastic" Koko let go and stood up, discreetly sighing. She glanced at her wrist, a hint of a genuine smile on her features.

"Its close to noon. How about we go get you some ice cream" she offered. Black Rock Shooter's eyes brightened up immediately, making everyone but Tojo sighed in relief, even Jonah. He couldn't because behind her he collapsed into unconsciousness.

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 _Two days later..._

Staring out the window, Jonah languidly watched the mass of people pass by. The even road combo'd with Ugo's careful driving made the trip as smooth as possible. It also meant that there was nothing he could really do to distract himself from the crushing boredom. Lutz called it guard dog duty; a pleasant change of pace from the shootouts of late, but incredibly boring.

He glanced away from the window to see a pair of pale legs idly bouncing twitching to some unknown tune. Looking down he saw Black Rock Shooter's face staring at the ceiling with nonexistent care. Her head was lying on the floorboard while her boots tapped against the roof. No matter what Ugo threatened her with she ignored him. She glanced at him, making him look away. He sent a unobtrusive look to the last occupant, Valmet.

The SUV pulled to a stop, making the car behind them do the same. A few dozen feet away the embassy to country B loomed, a multi-storied yellow building. Rock's feet stopped tapping.

"Alright kids, showtime" Koko announced. Jonah and Valmet wordlessly exited in time with Ugo and Koko. Black Rock Shooter slid out a few seconds later, coming to her feet in one motion. Nearby he heard Lehm snort.

"So Koko, whats the plan?" Valmet asked, idly straightening out her shirt. With the sole exception of the girl, everyone had a good outfit on, though in Jonah's case it was merely a clean white shirt and khakis.

"You and Tojo are with me. Everyone else wait out here. Shouldn't take more than forty five minutes or so" she answered.

"Fine with me" Lehm announced. He reached into a pocket and procured a pack of gum. He gave it an uncertain look before pulling out a piece.

Tojo nodded and walked over, taking great care to keep as much distance between him and the girl as possible. Once she figured out how to use the phone she made it clear there was no hard feelings, but he was still leery. With the ex-major and the ex-JSDF flanking her, Koko strolled towards the entrance of the building. The guards patrolling the grounds glared at her, but one flash of an ID card and they let her pass.

She was about to take the first step up the stairs when a ring came from her pocket. Koko stopped, briefly catching both bodyguards by surprise. They stopped a couple of steps ahead of her and looked back questioningly. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her satellite phone, revealing it as the culprit.

"Who could be calling now?" Valmet asked.

"Lets find out" Koko answered, clicking the call button and putting the bulky device to her ear.

"Hello? Yes, this Miss Hekmatyr. You dialed me, so why would you ask? Yes. Yes" her brow scrunched up "interesting, I'll get on it once I-wait, what?" she demanded sharply, a scowl overtaking her features. Both man and woman exchanged worried looks.

"You have got to be kidding me. I am literally standing at the front entrance of the conference, the UAV conference you dolt! Why cant you get Rossvky or Darkwood on this? Oh both busy? My ass" she snarled. From the cars Lehm detached himself and walked over, making one of the guards throw his hands in the air in frustration.

"Get Kaspar on it-hold up, vacation?! He's the one who-" she stopped mid sentence, her eyes going wide. Her hand holding the phone began to tremble.

 _Of course_ , she realized.

"There's no one else, and and it needs to be sold in under a week" she said coldly. Tojo and Valmet blanched.

"I...understand. I'll do my best" she hissed through clenched teeth. She removed the phone from her ear and clicked off. The callused hand that touched her shoulder almost made her jump.

"Whats the matter Koko?" Lehm asked humorlessly. She turned and forced a smile.

"That was corporate. They just bought a thousand units of experimental hardware and need it sold by the end of the week" she answered calmly. It was completely unconvincing.

"I see" he murmured.

"Why would they do that? We made it clear the UAV conference is our gig. No way they wouldn't know it" Tojo thought aloud. Koko chuckled mirthlessly.

"Oh I know. I know that all too well. And I know exactly who's responsible for this" Koko said dangerously.

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Nine time zones away, Kaspar felt a cold shiver crawl up his spine.

"I think she found out" he murmured, drawing a strange look from Poe.

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"Just worry about the conference right now. Once thats in the bag then we'll get on it. Okay?" Lehm assured. Koko stood up straight and fixed an errant wrinkle on her suit.

"Yeah, not like theres anyone there that can beat me at my own game" she replied. Tojo and Valmet offered small smiles, which she returned. Together (and the latter offering a steadying hand) they ascended the stairs. Lehm watched her go, making sure she was alright. He didn't want her to know he was just as concerned as she was. Shaking his head, he dismissed the thought and turned around to return to the others.

In the couple of minutes he left they had all exited the two cars and were milling around. A few passing pedestrians gave the group strange looks but otherwise ignored them. He strolled up to them, intending to relay the news.

"What happened?" Mao asked.

"Some jackass from the company slammed her with another job" he reported dully. A couple of groans came out, but far fewer than he expected.

"Just the same thing right?" Lutz asked.

"Thats right. The little lady is going to be one busy-hold on" Lehm stopped mid sentence. He swept his head around, searching fir something and confusing the men.

"Wheres the girl?" he asked sharply. The men glanced around in confusion. Once the realization hit, their eyes went wide. The only one that kept his composure was Jonah.

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 _One minute earlier..._

Utterly bored, Black Rock Shooter let her eyes wander. Lehm walked off after Koko for something. Since it wasn't affecting her, she didn't care about it. She saw that the group was becoming occupied with other things, much of it to do with their phones, but that too had no bearing on her station. Letting her head fall back, she gazed into the blue sky.

A strange sound made her whip her head around. It wasn't human, nor mechanical. She listened intently, trying to locate it. After several seconds she heard it again, though more drawn out. She walked after it, taking her away from the group. None of them seemed to notice. She came to a stop by an alleyway, where she heard the noise last. Down the darkened and debris strewn way she saw nothing. She cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"Hey there little lady" greeted a cockney accented voice. She turned around, the speaker startling her. When she saw its source she relaxed a minute degree. It was a man in a dark hoodie and jeans, along with a short scruffy beard. Initially Black Rock Shooter was wary, but after a few seconds of observation she concluded he was unarmed save for a short knife in his pocket.

"Say lass, you look a little thin. Do you want something to eat?" he asked friendly. Unused to human ways, the vibe he was exuding went unnoticed. She shook her head and went to walk away when he added "I have candy" making her stop in place. She swiveled her head around, giving him another appraising look.

"Lots of candy. Its in my van, over this way" he gestured. She bounded after him, a smile taking hold.

He led her to a plain looking white van a hundred feet away. The man kept giving her a strange look, with hard eyes but a twisted smile. Black Rock Shooter ignored it however. Mental pictures of vast amounts of sweets danced in her eyes, making her disregard the usual warning signs. Once they were there, he pulled the back door of the vehicle open, revealing a yawning black cave.

"Right in here lassie" he said enthusiastically. Rock saw the silhouette of another man inside, making her flare in anger. Evidently someone beat her to the candy, taking who knew how much. She leaped inside with no prompting to grab whatever was left. The man slammed the door shut behind her and ran to the drivers side. The van roared to life seconds later, and it peeled off into the sparse street.

 **A/N: To those who questioned why Koko hasn't studied Black Rock Shooter's weapons, you have your answer. Also, the omake will have to wait, not really feeling the words, you know?**


	8. Chapter 8

The van veered of the road, the tires squealing. It swerved from one direction to the other, until it was too late to correct. The one ton vehicle didn't even try to slow down as it plowed through the meager traffic guard and went onwards. It only stopped when the front bumper collided with a concrete divider, destroying the front end and killing the motor.

Steam from the ruptured radiator wafted out of the wrecked front. A couple bits of fractured metal flecked off of the ruined vehicle. Beyond that, it was still. Until a loud bang came from the back. Another followed it, and then another. The fourth bang blew open the back door, taking it off its hinges. It crashed to the ground, as if fleeing. A black boot hung in the air for a moment where it was two minutes ago.

The boot fell to the edge of the floor, and two gloved hands grasped opposite sides of the opening. With a muted grunt Black Rock Shooter pulled herself out of the van, swinging out and coming to her feet in one motion. She stood up straight and glanced at her arm, scowling. With her other hand she brushed the sleeve of her jacket in an attempt to wipe the spattered blood off. Her success was limited.

"Hey, are you alright?" someone asked, said in the strange way the people of this country tended to talk (at least from her perspective, which was admittedly limited).

She looked up from her poor cleaning to the speaker, seeing an wrinkled woman with faded hair and wearing a thick coat standing some distance away, as if she was afraid to get closer. The woman had one of her hands near her mouth while she appeared to fret. A quick pat confirmed her phone was still in her pocket, but she still wasn't used to it. Ergo, rather than pulling it out to communicate, she nodded instead.

"Are you sure? That looked like a nasty crash. Is anyone else in there?" the woman went on, blabbering to her ears. Someone else, a man by the sound, yelled "bloody joyriders!"

Her motivation to deal with the odd folk vanishing, Black Rock Shooter moved away, neatly vaulting over a metal traffic guard but otherwise keeping a brisk pace. As she walked she looked up and around, gauging her surroundings. A small amount of uncertainty entered her thoughts, but she dismissed the feeling. Instead, she pressed on in a general direction.

"I'll call the police" the man declared, pulling out a cellphone. He talked tough, but he made no move to stop the girl from walking off. Another bystander decided to act, and walked over to the van to help. She peered inside the gloomy opening, squinting to see. Immediately she pulled back and screamed. By then, the girl was out of sight.

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" _You what_!" Valmet demanded incredulously, bolting out of her chair. Wiley forcefully grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back down, while Tojo instead stared with his mouth agape, unable to believe his ears. Lehm sighed and caressed the bridge of his nose.

"Yes, Rocks gone. She wandered off while no one is looking" he repeated tiredly.

"How!? How do you let a mute killing machine with a hidden fucking armory just walk away?" Tojo demanded.

The four were in the hotel room Koko rented out for the deal. Ugo and Jonah fooled her into taking them out for a walk in Hyde park, letting Lehm and Wiley break the bad news. It helped her get over her surprise at seeing only one of the two cars waiting for her and half the team missing. The former privately thought it was going better than he anticipated; not that he had high expectations to begin with.

"I need a cigarette" he murmured. Aloud he said "I dunno, but here's whats going to happen."

Both of them continued to glare at him, but they shut up and looked to be listening.

"When Koko gets back I'll tell her we're taking some time off. Rock is, I dunno, with Wiley or whoever. Valmet, you and Jonah have to be with her at all times. Keep her mind on the job, and do not let her find out" he explained.

"Are you nuts? We all know just how dangerous she is, we have to tell her" Tojo shot back.

"Two reasons why thats not happening. First, the little lady is up to her eyeballs in stress. Adding a new thing isn't good for her health, so its not happening. Two, she'll have everybody's hides except Jonah's for letting it happen" he calmly refuted.

"Everybody's? Try you guys, me and Tojo here had nothing to do with it" Valmet refuted.

"All of us are going to be blamed. No matter, its not up for debate" he refuted right back. She huffed, and Tojo adjusted his glasses.

"So what? You want to keep a secret from our super perceptive boss? You know thats a bad idea" Tojo spoke again.

"I know. But we don't have much other choice. While you and Jonah keep your eyes on her, everyone else will be combing the city looking for her. With luck, we'll find her before the jobs are finished" Lehm said.

"And before she hurts someone" Ugo chimed in.

"Yeah that too. I'll start at the local police at see what I can find. The rest of you will fan out. We'll start in the area around the embassy and go from there" he finished.

"You do realize how terrible of an idea this is, do you?" Valmet asked cynically.

"I do" Lehm replied laconically. _I_ _need a goddamn smoke_ , he thought.

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The girl strolled down the crowded street, with absolutely no idea where she was or where she was going. Street signs, maps, and other directional aids flew right over her. She avoided bumping into other people, and they to her. Many of the pedestrians gave her strange looks, possibly because her outfit. She didn't care though, so long as no one made an issue of it. If they did, she would correct them.

An errant glance stopped Black Rock Shooter in her tracks. She stayed still for a moment, making sure of what she was looking at. Then, she altered her aimless course forward several feet until she passed through a set of glass doors. Once, she would've watched in amazement at the things opening by themselves, but after seeing all the other things humans could do it hardly caught her attention.

Soft tuneless music played inside, and harsh florescent lights shown above her. The former annoyed her and the latter hurt her eyes, but what was ahead made it worth it. She bypassed the large walls filled with shelves of stuff, heading in one direction. Her eyes didn't waver as she came within reaching distance of the large box filled to the brim with large red apples.

Black Rock Shooter picked one up, admiring how fresh it was. She brought it closer to her mouth, but paused. She recalled the time she went to a shop in tow with Ugo and Mao, and what happened. They put the things they wanted in plastic bags and went to a human behind a counter. Ugo handed over some pieces of paper from his pocket to the person before they could leave. She patted her free pocket and found the wallet Koko gave her was still there. If she was correct, there was some of that paper, money they called it, in it.

She looked up from the apple and saw a small sign that said "2£ for 1 pound" hanging from a peg. It took her a few minutes to decode the meaning of it, but once she did her eyes lit up. They dimmed just as quickly once she realized she had no way to measure that. She was going to despair until she saw a solution.

The person, an old woman like the one earlier, placed some apple like things onto a small metal plate. Below the metal a small square machine rested. She placed them on, piling the fruit on until some unknown arbitrary point. Once done she leaned down to the small dial and smiled. Then she swept the fruit into a small bag and walked off.

Very much interested, Black Rock Shooter walked over to the machine. She leaned over to look at the dial, finding it to be a simple mechanism that she had only an inkling of how to work. Experimentally she placed her hand on the metal and gently pressed down. A tiny red needle moved accordingly. She didn't know what the small symbols on it meant, but she guessed the large line on the other side of the dial represented one pound. She looked around for a moment before finding a small box full of plastic bags.

Four minutes, several trips, and some careful measurement later and she smiled. Sweeping her prize into the bag, she turned and began hunting for a counter. Another man and woman couple with a small cart laden with stuff assisted her by making a beeline to something that resembled one. She followed a short distance behind them.

Once there the woman and another man (wearing a green apron) behind the counter exchanged pleasantries for a few seconds before the companion man began placing their haul on the matted black counter. The surface of the counter whirred, and somehow moved the items forward to another machine, which the counter man it moved over something, making a beep in the process.

Black Rock Shooter held her patience, though it was difficult. Finally the woman handed over some money to the counter man, who handed some back before bidding them farewell. He watched them for a second before turning to her and saying "can I help you ma'am?" She placed the bag of apples on the counter. Instead of the thing moving he reached over and passed it over the machine, making a beep.

"Anything else?" he asked. She shook her head. He pressed something, making several more beeps.

"That'll be two pounds" he said, sounding as bored as she felt. She hesitated for a moment before she dug out her wallet and pulled out a paper note, offering it to him. He took one look and pushed it back.

"We don't accept american dollars here" he said dully. She frowned, and opened the wallet back up to search for something else to offer him. To her frustration they all appeared to be variants of the first bill. He looked unconcerned with her dilemma.

"If you can't pay for it then please leave the-"

" _Monty_!" a boisterously loud voice sounded from behind the man. He winced in fear, to Black Rock Shooter's confusion. He slowly swiveled around, and she leaned to the side. Another man, this one much larger (though he had an identical apron) stomped towards the counter. The counter man plaintively raised his hands.

"Mister Lorrey" he squeaked.

"Monty, how many bloody times do I have to tell you, lock the employee door behind you!" Mister Lorrey shouted, making Monty shrink before him.

"Sorry sir, wont happen again" he whimpered.

"You better. I'm getting real sick and tired of checking the damn door every day. One of these times we're going to get robbed blind" the larger man admonished.

Monty nodded meekly. Lorrey huffed, then he noticed the girl on the other side.

"Whats the problem here?" he questioned sternly. She noticed that neither men commented on her appearance.

"She, um, didn't have enough..." he said meekly. Black Rock Shooter snapped her head to him and scowled. Lorrey absently brushed Monty aside and took his place, towering above her.

"That true lassie?" he asked blankly. She shook her head and pulled out the bill she initially offered to him. His large hands plucked it out of her own and he held it at his eye level.

"Let me guess, he said we don't take this" he said condescendingly. She nodded, and turned to glower at Monty once again.

"That boy hates doing do conversion. Its not hard" Lorrey directed the last line at him.

He opened a case and deposited the money she gave him in it. In return he pulled out a sizable amount of paper and handed it over. She gave it a glance and noticed it was different from the others she had. His response to her questioning glance was a short chuckle.

"What? Did you think everyone was a yankee?" he joked.

Unsure of what else, she fell back on one lesson Lutz taught her. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the phone. A couple of seconds later the 'app' was on, and the 'keyboard' was up. Initially the group, especially Wiley for some reason, were worried about teaching her written language. Fortunately she picked it up fast, allowing her passable usage of the device rather quickly. She finished typing and presented the screen to Lorrey.

 _Thank you_ , it said. He bent over to squint at the print before standing back up and smiling.

"Not a problem miss. If you're ever in these parts again just drop on by. Bring your parents next time too" he replied.

She tilted her head to the side, but he turned away and left. She took one last look at the wad of money in her hands before she decided it ultimately didn't matter. Black Rock Shooter stuffed the money in her pocket, grabbed the bag, and walked away to the sound of Lorrey chastising Monty again. That night, when the news of a double homicide just a handful of blocks away came over the channels, both men thought of the silent girl.

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Hyde park, so said the many the plaques, was the name of the rather pleasant area that Jonah found himself in. Shrubbery, trees, and a handful of large shallow ponds were crisscrossed by a number of wide walkways. Many people were out and about, walking their pets, chatting with friends, jogging, or just visiting like him. If not for the pressing humidity, he would've rather enjoyed it.

And if Koko wasn't draped over his back.

"Oh this sucks" the woman in question quietly grumbled to his ear. The view of the enormous pond with several ducks he was only feet away from did nothing to help.

From the moment she left the embassy she was in a foul mood, and not even finding out half the group had vanished on her had been enough to break her funk. He normally wouldn't have been too concerned (he knew she could bounce back easily) except she was down enough that she felt like cuddling with him. A lot. Personally he thought her thick suit was addling her mind in the sweltering heat.

"You know why?" she prompted him.

"I don't think telling me makes a difference" he deadpanned. She pressed her arms around him and rubbed tightly, a facile of punishment.

"Too bad, I'm telling you anyway" she halfheartedly taunted. He murmured something intelligible and she cut the act out.

"Its been a long time since I've met my match. That woman is going to be a real challenge" she said determinably.

"Who?" she blinked as she realized her error.

"Oh right. Amalia Trohovski. She used to be an actress, but after marrying a rich guy her star faded. Once he died, which most accounts say she had nothing to do with, she used his connections to set herself up in the arms industry. Shes been a real up-and-comer the past few years" she explained.

"Is she good?" Jonah asked. He turned and walked with Koko's hands on his shoulders, easily keeping pace with him.

"Very. She uses her feminine wiles to get all those dusty old military men eating out of her hand" she said with no trace of irony "and now has her eyes set on winning the military contract" she explained.

"Whats the contract?" he asked.

"Brand new American made Predator drones. They're Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAVs for short. Remote controlled planes that fly independently. They're like flying terminators" she instantly winced as she realized he wouldn't get the reference.

"So, kinda like RCs" he said after a second of thought. He looked over his shoulder to her baffled face.

"Wiley was telling me something about his family the other day, he used to have a RC car" he answered with a shrug.

"Oh...right. Anyway, they don't get tired, or hungry, or distracted. Wave of the future" she finished.

"I don't like the sound of those things" he said quietly.

"No argument here. Personally the entire idea creeps the hell out of me. Buuut, since technology is advancing so much, it was only a matter of time. Who knows, maybe one day war will be just robots duking it out instead of actual soldiers. Isaac Asimov would turn over in his grave either way" she spoke. Jonah nodded thoughtfully.

"One more thing" he said carefully. She briefly chuckled and said "shoot."

"Earlier at the conference, you got a phone call that made you flip out. What was that all about?" he asked. Koko chuckled again, but he could hear her teeth clenching.

"HCLI corporate with a new job and a limited time table. Payback for ditching the meeting with Kaspar in Africa" she felt him tense under her hands.

"I see" Jonah murmured.

"Since I blew him off, he saddled me with a bad deal as payback" Koko explained. He nodded.

"They just purchased a thousand units of brand new military equipment at a pretty steep price, and I need it sold for a profit by the end of the week" she recited to him, as she did to Valmet and Lehm earlier. She knew he was going to ask, so she started the rundown using as simple terms as she could think of.

"They call them XOS-3 powered exoskeletons. Wearable equipment that makes a soldier faster and stronger, and has a bit of extra armor to help them survive some light gunfire. It looks like something out a sci-fi game" Koko explained.

"Sounds cool" he offered.

"It is. They were made by a collaboration between a small engineering firm called Atlas and the American DARPA. Robots are the future, but until the techs perfected they can still enhance regular soldiers" she went on. Jonah nodded again, sparing another glance at the pond. A duck quacked nearby.

"They sound useful" he said after a moment. He heard her sigh.

"You know what the first rule of any successful sales profession is? From vacuum cleaners to bombers, they all have one rule in common: don't sell anything without a record" she outlined, making him twist his head around in confusion.

"Most of my knowledge of the things come from the preface of the specs they sent me. They have no combat record, no clear analogue from normal equipment, and, frankly, at their cost you should just put more regular bodies in uniforms instead" Koko dismissed.

"Thats not good" Jonah thought aloud.

"Exactly. My case for these things is going to hinge on the buyer being a nerd, or hopefully one who can overlook the downsides" she said. Her tone didn't hold much hope.

Koko finally let go of his shoulders and walked ahead of him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a glint of red. His head turned, but it was already gone. Unless he was badly mistaken, he could've swore he just saw a fox. He went to tell Koko, but stopped as he saw her approach a blonde woman in a black shirt and jeans under a tree. Unlike his boss, she had a finger holding her neckline open while she waved a hand at her face, while large beads of sweat collected on her brow.

"Wow, this place sucks. The humidity is unbearable, the sky's always overcast, and the foods disgusting" Schokolade complained.

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Black Rock Shooter munched on her apple while she people watched. Her eyes lazily scanned the passing folk, not looking for anything in particular. Young and old, loud and quiet, and many more skin colors than she would've assumed was possible. Not one face was exactly like any another. All were similar, but each one was unique.

She sat on top of a green bench, her rear on the top while her feet rested on the flat surface where humans normally sat. She had one end, a dusty looking old man in a black outfit had the other. She watched people, he read a newspaper. Beyond a perfunctory greeting, he hadn't spoken a word to her. Her outfit, bag of apples, and mannerisms went unnoticed. She liked him.

Upon some unknown cue, the man folded his newspaper up and left the bench. She watched him go, then turned back to what she was doing. Her finished apple was tossed in a convenient trash can, and she pulled out another. She paused for a second as she mentally recounted. Getting cramps would severely hinder her unless she found a safe spot to hole up.

Though she didn't want to admit it, Black Rock Shooter was bored. All morning she had been wandering, and apart from the two idiots in the van and the store she had done nothing exciting. She suppressed an induced yawn. Fruitlessly she searched for something, anything, that could somehow relive her tediousness.

She almost missed it, but a quick double take confirmed it; there was someone running down the street. Interested, she set her bag down and hopped off the bench to her feet. The runner, a man in a black hoodie, was barreling down the street. He bumped into people, cursing and spitting. She trailed her eyes up a few degrees and saw two uniformed people (both wearing ridiculous looking hats) running after him. All three were huffing breath and looked to be running as fast as they could go.

Watching the hoodie, she mentally calculated their speed, and came to the conclusion they would reach her position in under a minute. While they came closer, the lead frantically swinging his head around and the chasers bellowing something, she debated on what to do. It wasn't her business, but then again she was bored. A hundred feet away she made up her mind.

Several of the people around her saw the oncoming event and wisely chose to back off, leaving her unimpeded. She took a spot in the center of the sidewalk and cracked her knuckles, a small grin forming. Hoodie attempted to veer around her, but she stepped forward into a stance. She brought her entire body down, one arm drawing back. In a split second he was within arms reach.

Black Rock Shooter's fist flew out, faster than Hoodie could react. She punched him in the gut, knowing that spot tended to work best. The impact stopped him in his tracks, but his momentum kept him flying forward. Her boots slid a few inches across the concrete as his force transferred to her. His arms and legs raised up, becoming nearly parallel to the ground.

 _Newton's third law: every action has an equal and opposite reaction_. She didn't know who Newton was or what the laws were, but if she did she would agree with a mischievous grin.

Hoodie flew back, coming clean off the ground. Black Rock Shooter staggered for a second as she lost her balance. Only a stroke of luck kept her on her feet. Meanwhile Hoodie slammed into the ground, sputtering breath. She stood back up straight and shook her wrist to work out a crack. On the ground he groaned in pain. After a second of thought she realized that wasn't as exciting as she assumed. A delectable scent wafted by her nostrils, and she spared just enough time to snag her apples before taking off after it. The two police officers caught up to the groaning hooded man, who could only feebly wave.

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Koko stood several paces away from the car, trying in vain to control her frustration. Her legs were bent, her torso was twisted, and both of her arms were clutching her head. Her expression was somewhere between pain, unbridled fury, and shock. Jonah couldn't tell which one it was. Taking a second to glance around, he once again silently thanked Valmet for finding an empty parking lot.

" _GHAH_!" she shrieked, for the third time in five minutes.

"Should we help her?" he asked, riding in the front seat. Beside him, Valmet nervously drummed her fingers on the steering wheel.

"I...don't know. Its been a long time since I've seen her this upset" she replied uncertainly. The two both kept their attentions on the driver's side, where she had spilled out a few minutes earlier to vent. Thanks to the rolled down window and her proximity, they could both hear her.

"That, bitch, is _everywhere_ " Koko hissed. After spending the past few hours getting outmaneuvered at every turn by the Trohovski woman, she was quite angry.

"Kinda reminds me of one of those greek statues. You know, those ones where the person always looks deep in thought" Valmet mused. Jonah shrugged.

Koko forced herself up and snapped her fingers, turning around with a fake smile.

"No biggie, we have one more stop to make" she said, cheerfully unconvincing.

 _Country B embassy, fifteen minutes later..._

"Yes, miss Trohovski paid me a visit as well" Colonel Marquis told Koko. Her head tilted a few degrees, the only sign of her discomfort that was visible. It was at odds at the finely decorated meeting room the two were in.

"However, in light of our previous relations I have decided to withhold my decision for the time being" he finished. Koko's smile subtly shifted; showing a rare hint of joy.

"Thank you Colonel. I can promise you that you're making the right choice" she replied gratefully. The man's half smile vanished.

"I should warn you that my government's previous stance behind the Predators has changed. The Euro group's presentation on the Neuron project was...convincing. I haven't taken a side yet, but the former position doesn't have much support" he warned.

"I'll take that into consideration" Koko said enigmatically.

"Theres one more thing" he said. She tilted her brow at him, which he took as a sign to go on.

"I'm sure HCLI headquarters has already informed you that yesterday an Italian newspaper ran an exposé on your importation plan. Support for your side is much lower" he warned.

"They haven't actually. As you can imagine I've been quite busy" she replied regretfully.

"So I've heard. And before you ask, I have already spoken to several of the other officers involved with the deal. My government is focusing on improving our air forces. The AO suits are interesting, but we're not interested" he casually dismissed.

"I understand" she said lowly.

"However, there is another group who may be interested. I make no promises, but I can get in touch with some of my contacts who can possibly find a buyer" he offered. She saw how many modifiers there were in his statement, but she decided it was worth a risk. None of the officers she spoken to were interested in the suits, anymore than the drones.

"I'll take whatever you can give" she agreed. Koko could easily imagine Trohovski and some crony congratulating themselves on their victory.

 _Not just yet_ , she thought viciously.

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Despite her best efforts, the enormous yawn forced its way out Black Rock Shooter's mouth. She shook her head and searched around. While the number of people out and about hadn't decreased any noticeable amount, the sky had darkened considerably. Lights, more lights than she thought were necessary, were activating by the minute. And still, she wandered.

Her feet were sore. Her eyes were drooping. And the occasional human that commented on her clothes went unmolested. She wanted to go back to the group, if only to have somewhere safe to rest. Out in the street like she was, sleeping was out of the question. She searched around, but found nothing acceptable. The thought of simply calling someone to come get her didn't cross her mind.

Black Rock Shooter searched around, looking for somewhere suitable. She had little success until she happened to glance upwards. In her random travels she found herself in a manufacturing district, full of looming factory buildings. The square grey structure she was a dozen meters away from sat plainly, as if it couldn't be bothered to improve its appearance.

After a minute of consideration, she decided it would do. She scanned for a moment, looking for an entrance. Her eyes trailed along the side and found a shaky looking set of stairs that led to an unmarked door. Once she reached it she gently set her boot on it, testing its weight. It creaked uncomfortably but held. Nonetheless she exercised caution for the entire thirty foot walk up. Not so much for her own safety as to try to keep the noise down.

At the top she swept her head around the area. Despite the lights and the faint noise (of what she had no idea) everything looked deserted. Shaking off an uncomfortable shiver she turned back to the door and turned the knob. It rattled and refused to open. She tried again to no effect. Her face fell from caution to deflated exasperation.

From the inside a loud bang echoed, in time with a large hole blasting open from the center of the door. Black Rock Shooter lowered her smoking cannon and reached through the hole, feeling around until she found the inner knob. A moment of fiddling and she flipped the lock, opening the door wide open.

She walked inside, her cannon at her side. The dark, far worse than the outside with nothing to mitigate it, seemed to press down on her. She leaned on her hearing and smell instead. The former detected a quiet hum, possibly from some machine or another. The later revealed a wealth of different scents (very few pleasant) but tentatively gave a clear signal.

Her free hand went to the wall and felt around, looking for a light switch. The blinding flash of the harsh fluorescents made her shield her eyes, letting out a muted cry at the process. After a few seconds she felt better enough to lower her arm and look at her surroundings. Her eyes stung, but otherwise there was no problem.

A ragged looking couch, an inactive television, and a set of tables and chairs were all the furniture in the sparse room. A banged up refrigerator was against the wall, grabbing her attention. A small sign saying 'managers office' was hanging above another door. Beyond that, the place was deserted.

Though she wanted to raid the fridge, she was too tired to go through with it. She made a mental map of the floor and flicked the lights off, but not before shutting the door behind her. Black Rock Shooter then toed her way to the sofa and fell on it. It reeked of various unpleasant things that made her senses burn. Deciding it wasn't worth it, she rolled off of it onto the dirty floor. It too was bad, but in comparison it was acceptable.

She fell asleep a minute later, blissfully unaware of the alarm she triggered.

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 **Merry Christmas folks, from good old How-Not-To-Do-Something. This one's a little shorter than usual, hope you don't mind. I originally meant this to be one chapter, but then I realized (with some prompting from TykkiMikk) that there was too much potential here to limit it to just one. If you do mind, here's some cheese to go with that wine! Muhahaha!**

 **SilverstormXD: Black Rock Shooter. Raped. Hahahha, thats funny. She is way too badass to suffer that from mere mooks like them.**

 **Acidika: you pester me waaay too much. This wouldn't get done otherwise.**

 **TykkiMikkk: See? This is what you get for giving me ideas.**

 **Now the character playlist. I admit, I forgot about it. So much has been going on, yadda yadda et cetera. Well, here it is:**

 **Wiley: Here comes the boom - Nelly (Acidika)**

 **Jonah: Shadow of the sun - Max Elto Mako remix (SilverstormXD, really toeing the line here)**

 **If theres any others you want to add, just PM me or leave it in a review. Only restriction is no dubstep. Noisia, Datsik, CellDweller, anything with step in the name, and so on is all a no go. Everything else is good.**

 **And now for the omake.**

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Black Rock Shooter stared in abject bafflement at the poster in front of her. People brushed past her, but she didn't notice. Plastered against the inside of the store window was her. A strange looking two dimensional version, looking like a cartoon. It was posed against a starry backdrop, with her sword on one hand and her cannon in the other. Despite that, the detail was exquisite. The only flaw she saw was a small blue flame over her left eye.

She shook her head, trying to work out the bizarreness of the thing in front of her.

"Absolutely impressive" said a sweet and oddly grating voice.

Rock turned around to find someone standing behind her. She raised an eyebrow; the twenty-something man in slacks and a white tee shirt was just standing there, beaming. Despite his glowing handsomeness, she found him more than a little creepy. With enlightening stupidity he threw an arm over her shoulder (ignoring her glower) and turned to face a bore looking man with a large camera, where she was certain there wasn't a few seconds earlier.

"Howdy folks, I'm How-Not-To-Do-Something, and today I'm conducting a special interview with the one and only Black Rock Shooter" he greeted to the camera, one arm still around her shoulder. In her free hand a sword began to manifest, making him queasily back off.

"Now, lets begin with some fan questions. To start with-" he trailed off immediately as a blue car roared up to the curb, running over a street sign. She raised an eyebrow again.

"Oh crap" he muttered with wide eyes.

The door flew open and three asian teenagers spilled out, the first a regular looking boy, the second a pale girl with blue hair, and the third had a large mane of red hair. All three brandished hostile expressions and metal bats. How-Not-To-Do-Something pathetically raised his hands in supplication.

"Um, I know I've been neglecting you guys but a lot has been going down lately" he justified pitifully.

Instead of responding the redhead of the trio let out a war cry, and all three charged. Black Rock Shooter discreetly stepped away in time, leaving nothing between them. As they proceeded to 'beat him to a bloody pulp' as Koko would put it, she watched with vapid interest. The way he cried was amusing, but hardly worth her time. She turned to leave, and nearly bumped into someone. She looked ahead, and moved her eyes up the black clothed chest and to the face of the rather tall white haired young man standing in front of her.

"Hi" he greeted in a faint russian accent. In a second she noticed the enormous revolver strapped to his hip, and felt a stab of envy. She reached into her pocket and withdrew her phone, quickly typing something out and holding the screen up for him to see.

Hello, it said.

"Mute huh? Oh well. I'm Tobias Darkwood. And you are?" he asked.

Black Rock Shooter.

"Neat. Wait, have I..." he trailed off as he looked to the side, where the poster was. He switched his gaze between it and her, raising an eyebrow in the process.

"Huh" he murmured.

Another screaming pink car pulled up to the curb, pulling alongside the blue car and grabbing both their attentions. It was an insanely overpriced model that radiated 'rich beyond measure' and 'compensation' at the same time. Once Black Rock Shooter saw who was behind the wheel, she stared in indifference since she didn't know who the perky looking woman was. Her interest went up several notches when she heard Tobias swear in surprise.

"Tabitha!? What're you doing here?" he demanded indignantly. She smiled.

"Hey Toby! I know this is your cameo, but I decided to pop in anyway. Lets have some fun!" she cheerfully invited. Tobias glanced at Rock, she shrugged in confusion.

"Cameo? What are you talking about..." he trailed off as he heard approaching sirens. A lot of them.

"Since none of this is canon, I figured raising some hell wouldn't hurt anything" she said. Black Rock Shooter shrugged again and walked towards the sports car. Tobias sputtered in shock for a moment before he sighed and followed her.

The wheels squealed in place for a second before the pink sports car sped off like a lightning bolt, none of the occupants paying attention to How-Not-To-Do-Something's ongoing beating.

( _Insert placeholder here_ )

Lehm walked out of the small convenience store and sighed in relief. While he had no luck in finding Black Rock Shooter yet (none of them had) he finally found a way to deal with the mounting stress. He walked right up to the street and pulled the cellophane wrapping off of the pack of cigarettes, reaching for his lighter at the same time. He paused just long enough to check for any 'no smoking zone' signs before continuing.

He had just pulled one stick out when an obnoxiously loud and obnoxiously pink sports car roared down the street, making him stop. The car slammed on the brakes right in front of him, revealing a giggling young woman, a weird looking young man with white hair, and the killing machine that he was certain was taking years off of his life expectancy.

The latter reached over and plucked the smokes from his stunned hold, taking the unlit one in his mouth as well. She looked over and gave the woman a nod, and the car roared away with both the engine and the radio blaring loudly. He caught a verse of the metal song blasting away:

 _This is my war_

 _War, war, war_

 _I never wanted anything more_

 _This is my_

 _This is my war_

"Five finger death punch" he murmured quietly. Lehm had just enough sense to put his lighter away before he collapsed to his knees and screamed at the top of his lungs.

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 **One last thing; I discovered a few days ago that Acidika, incensed by my awesomeness, has decided to create a rewrite: Lost During Transition. Is it better? I say no (of course) but check it out for yourself.**


	9. Chapter 9

Taking a deep breath, R did his level best to keep some semblance of calm and sanity. Keeping under control during such a trying time taxed him, but despite his best efforts real success proved elusive. He let his head fall back to stare into the sky, idly noting accidental patterns of clouds. It was a fruitless activity and he knew it. He did it anyway because the alternative was to focus on the problem that plagued not only him, but all of his comrades.

The sound of the small market's automatic door opening took his strained mind off of the problem, if only for a moment. He dropped his head to look at Lutz and his small bag of goodies he bought. Before the door closed he heard someone in the store bellow "Monty!" angrily. A part of him was curious, wanting to know who this Monty was or why he was being yelled at, but the remainder didn't care. R started walking down the street, with the blonde man falling in step beside him.

"Hey, hold on" Lutz protested, rooting around in the bag. R turned his head around to deliver a retort, but stopped when he saw the proffered water bottle, which he testily accepted. He sighed and cursed under his breath.

"Don't worry man, we'll find her" he assured.

"I'm not worried about that, I'm worried we'll find her dead or surrounded by corpses or something" R replied dully.

"Won't happen" Lutz dismissed. R stopped in place, almost making the younger man bump into him. He turned to deliver a sharp glance at him.

"How do you know? Actually, while I'm at it why are you the only one that's calm?" R demanded impatiently.

"Simple. What would getting upset do?" Lutz replied, crossed his arms. R blinked in surprise, not expecting that answer.

"Look, I know how she is. Its a forgone conclusion she's killed someone already, we just got to hope the cops around here wont be able to connect her to it. And I know that Koko will have all of our asses if we cant find her" he explained. Unsure of where he was going, R nodded.

"You used to be in the Italian army right?" Lutz asked.

"The Bersaglieri" R corrected.

"Then you'd have to know that worrying doesn't get you anywhere. Not saying you have to stay cheery, but if you act all doom and gloom, then the problem is only going to get worse. Stay calm like me, and everything will work out" Lutz finished with a small flourish. R was silent for a moment before speaking.

"Do you realize how naive you sound?" he posed. The man chuckled.

"Naive or not, it helps me" he replied good-naturedly.

R rolled his eyes before turning away and taking off in a power walk. Lutz caught up to him easily though, to his disappointment. Internally he questioned why he was paired with the man, while only Tojo and Wiley were buddied up as well. Ugo, Lehm, and Mao were all going solo, why he wasn't nagged at him constantly. He did realize that after a day of nothing but cold leads and dead ends his nerves were strained, and he made a conscious effort to stay under control. It wasn't easy, especially while going out of their way to keep Koko in the dark.

Though there was a dull roar of everyday city life, he heard Lutz's phone begin to vibrate and stopped. He twisted around to see him already pulling it out and putting it to his ear. R looked around and realized they were in the middle of the sidewalk. He motioned for him to move over, which he complied.

"Yeah its me. Nah, we got nothing either. Hang on, what?" Lutz went in confusion. R looked at him questionably, to which he mouthed 'Ugo' before turning back to the conversation.

"Missed that, what'd you say? Just call her?" he repeated.

The Italian scrunched his brow up questionably, before his eyes widened. He felt like face palming for not thinking of it sooner. It was so simple; the girl had a cellphone, they could just call or text her to find out where she was and go pick her up. In under an hour all their problems would be solved. The happy train of thought halted when he saw Lutz scowl.

"Man, if it was that simple I would've done it already. Koko was the one who got the thing, she has all that information. She's the only one with her number" he answered grimly. R's heart sank.

"So yeah. Unless you can convince Valmet to steal her phone when she's not looking, forget it" Lutz dismissed. With a practiced motion he ended the call and stuffed it back into his pocket.

"So, onwards?" he offered. R sighed, face palming this time.

A buzz from his own pocket halted his melancholy. He pulled out his own phone, observing out of the corner of his eye Lutz doing the same once more. An icy feeling settled in his stomach, made all the worse when saw who it was from. His blonde companion cringed, as did he. He'd been in dozens of firefights over the years, but that did nothing to help him stop his hand from shaking as he opened the text message.

 _Vacations ovr, need u guys for something. B at London Intl at 1, theres a flight waiting. Take Blake w/ u, info wen u get ther_ , read Koko's text.

"Well shit" R said after a moment, once he regained his senses. He wasn't sure whether to be relieved or panicking.

"This means no one's going to be looking for her" Lutz said fearfully, obviously choosing the latter.

 _What did I piss off to deserve this?_ R asked himself.

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Her eyes opened. Black Rock Shooter immediately lifted herself off of the ground, all of her senses alight. Something triggered them; after analyzing them she determined it was an out of place sound. Beyond, hardly audible, was the distant sound of voices. She turned her head to the door, noting with some surprise the tower of light that shown through. She couldn't tell the time of day, but it must have been late if there was that much. Mentally she chastised herself for sleeping in.

She slid to her feet, staying low in case of danger. The horrid scents that permeated everything on the ragged room clung to her like a nasty blanket, and when she rose of from her crouch she realized that a large quantity of dirt was clinging to her clothes. Wrinkling her nose, she brushed her jacket off to get rid of it. Annoyingly, it behaved like the blood from yesterday and stubbornly clung on. She kept at it until she heard the distinctive creak of strained metal.

Abandoning her efforts she darted away, frantically looking for something that could hide her. She wasn't afraid per se, but she decided some time ago she wouldn't underestimate humans again, so she wanted to find a good spot to observe before making a choice. Finally she found a decent location on the other side of the musty couch. It was hardly optimal, but with her superabundance of nonexistent options it was the best she could do at present. She huddled down as the voices and the tortured walkway grew louder. As insurance she quickly summoned her sword. The voices started indistinct, but soon became legible.

"...amnit James, at least try to keep it together this time" one male voice echoed in. Another male laughed.

"What're you complaining about Rick? We're the law remember?" the latter joked.

"You know what I mean! I can't keep covering for you. Sooner or later you're going to get caught, and then we're both in deep shit" the former went on, sounding quite upset.

"Relax, the thing with the old bat wont happen again. Sides, its just a break in. Bums cant sue you eh?" James laughed at his poor jest while Rick merely groaned. Both were becoming louder by the second.

"Alright, now how did the buggers-bloody hell!" Rick exclaimed. Black Rock Shooter tensed; by the sound of it both were right outside the door.

"Looks like someone blew a hole right through the damn thing" James commented amazedly.

"How? Did they shoot it with a gun? No, wrong signs. Explosives? But why?" Rick partly stammered. She was confused at their talking and wished they would get it over with already.

"One way to find out" James declared.

At last, she heard the door open. Carefully she risked a peep over the edge of the couch to see her opposition. The two men, one clean shaven and the other with a small brown mustache, were both in the same type of blue uniforms as the people she saw chasing the hooded man yesterday, helmets included. Thanks to the darkness, they couldn't see her. She saw one fumbling for the switch and ducked down before it flicked on. The glaring light briefly blinded her.

"Doesn't look like anything was stolen. Or vandalized" Rick said after a moment.

"Good for the owner" James added.

"What I don't get is why here. This place is just a brake parts factory. Nothing that's really valuable. And there's so many other places to hunker down for the night" Rick went on. The small clack of his boots against the linoleum floor indicated he was moving around.

"Who knows. Maybe its an escaped convict?" James suggested. Rick snorted at that.

Although neither of the men seemed dangerous, Black Rock Shooter was cautious. She didn't know how many more there were; the two men could've been alone, or there could be dozens more waiting just out of sight. She didn't want to risk a fight without knowing what she was up against. Hence, her continued vigilance. She waited for a moment longer before chancing another look over the couch.

"I'm starting to think the blighters took off-huh?" Rick went in surprise. She quickly ducked back down, fearing the worst.

"What?" asked James.

"I just saw someone behind the couch" he answered. Footsteps echoed, each one louder than the last. She considered her options for a moment, stopping when she heard the man stop a foot or two from the couch.

"Hey you, step out from there" he said authoritatively. She let out a quiet breath, making up her mind.

"I said, step ou-"

Black Rock Shooter jumped. She sailed over the edge of the couch, past the man, and hit the dirty floor running. The move caught the man completely by surprise, keeping him from doing anything more than gawk in bafflement. The other man was quicker however. He drew something from his belt that made her redouble her efforts: a handgun. Or at least it looked like one. She blew past him, barely avoiding his swatting hand grabbing at her hair and jacket.

Neither man had the forethought to shut the door behind them. It wasn't as if they expected someone (or anyone actually) to do what she was doing. She blew past it and kicked herself up, jumping over the rattling railing and flying into open air. It occurred to her that jumping blindly wasn't the most sensible action, but by the time she realized that she was already plummeting towards the ground.

Unlike in Brussels, the fall was brief. The distance from the landing to the hard pavement was only thirty feet or so, perfectly survivable for her. Or as she insisted to herself as her legs bent with the impact but failed to cancel out her momentum. Shooting pain raced up from her feet and legs, making her cry out in agony. The otherwise flawless landing was marred by her falling over to her side and sucking in a ragged breath at the severe pain.

Shouting from above forced her to act. Though her legs felt like they were throughly lacerated she forced herself up, gasping the entire time. At first they failed to respond, but with an intense effort she managed to move, albeit in a stumble. A part of her was peeved that such a minor injury was enough to cripple her to such a degree. She went merely in a random direction, as she had done for much of the day before.

She was getting tired of that.

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 _Mid afternoon..._

For the tenth time in an hours span, Valmet lowered her newspaper a few inches and gave her boss an uncertain look. The Finnish woman knew she was prone to some strange moods, but continuously sitting in a musty hotel room doing nothing but type on her laptop or her phone and periodically scarf down snacks made her worry. She was tempted to intervene, but one look at the look on her face cancelled that idea.

Koko hadn't taken the past day well. She showered once (when they returned from the failed outing) and changed into sleeping clothes. From there, all she had done was mess with her computer and take a rare moment to eat. After alternating with Jonah on night watch she checked and confirmed that she hadn't slept. Dark circles traced under her eyes, and her hair was greasy. Though she hadn't noticed it much, she stank as well.

 _I really out to do something_ , she thought with trepidation. The question was what. Interrupting her could prove catastrophic, but watching her let herself go tore at her heart.

"Koko, if you keep eating that stuff without exercising you'll get fat" she said as a compromise. Her pale haired boss giggled.

"Hopefully it'll all go to my boobs instead" she said suggestively. Valmet shrank back into the plain chair and blushed furiously, startled that she would make such a comment. Then the mental picture formed in her mind and she smiled sappily, still blushing.

* _click_ *

"-foreign news, in America the governor of Maryland admitted today that crime rates are on the rise lately. This is the latest in a string of embarrassing incidents that has plagued the governor's term, and serious questions are being raised regarding the future of his administration" the pretty english newswoman methodically reported.

"Oh Jonah, I forgot you were even here" Koko said in amazement. The boy in question was leaning against the far wall, remote in hand and a look of contained boredom on his face. The woman quietly wondered how he got in undetected, since he certainly wasn't there a minute ago.

"Need anything?" he asked methodically.

"I'm good" Valmet answered shakily, fretting over how much he may have heard. A part of her laughed at her concern, given his occupation.

"Yes actually, can I trouble you to go down to the corner mart again? My snacks are running low again" Koko asked apologetically, gesturing to the mess of garbage on her bed.

"You've had enough snacks" he replied blandly.

"And I want more, so go" she retorted sweetly. Jonah looked at her for a moment, his face could've been made of stone for all the emotion it showed. He ended up yielding, tossing the remote on the spare bed and walking off. The way he carefully opened and shut the door, making as little noise as possible, did not go unnoticed. Koko pushed her laptop aside and reached for the remote.

"In other news, the Chinese government has continued to deny any involvement in the Chiang Khong incident, where two alleged intelligence operatives were arrested by Thailand's border officials. While no definitive evidence has come up to confirm or deny the claim, public opinion of the country has shifted from a pro-Chinese to a pro-American stance, with the announcement of the upcoming Operation Shaman military exercise between the Thai royal navy and the US navy meeting overwhelming approval-"

* _click_ *

"Wait, what was that?" Valmet said suddenly, pushing the newspaper aside and leaning forward.

"Politics and issues, nothing out of the ordinary. Now excuse me, I have to make a phone call" Koko said banally, grabbing the phone that Ugo's plan would've relied on and typing in a number.

"Hey Shokolade, its Koko. I hate to say this, but I've lost the battle over these UAVs. My original plan to send them to Country A by way of Italy got foiled because some newspaper ran an expose on it. As of now, HCLI is officially pulling out of this deal. Can't win them all I guess. Okay, bye" she said, cheerful yet disappointed. She ended the call and glanced over to Valmet, who could only stare on shock.

Jonah passed through the hotel doors and turned to the sidewalk. He sent a guarded look to the large van with antenna on the top, the same one that had been there for most of the night. He had his suspicions on what it was and what it was doing, but he refrained from taking action. Doing anything weapon related without Koko's approval tended to cause problems. As well, he had gotten many assurances that London was a safe place. He didn't want to be the one to break that.

While walking down the street, he took the rare opportunity to let his thoughts wander. Never too far though; drilled reflexes kept him from losing track of his surroundings, ones that he was certain he would never entirely get rid off. He pondered Koko's trouble with the deal, Black Rock Shooter's disappearance, and his faraway friends. For a moment he wondered what they were doing at that minute. Sleeping? Playing? Studying? In the end he decided it didn't matter. He sold his soul to give them another chance, and he wasn't going to regret it.

A block away from the upscale building was a small corner mart. R showed him the place the day before, just before the conference. He passed through the sliding doors without a second thought, ignoring the '1 student, no schoolbags' sign. One outstretched arm plucked an awaiting hand basket from a pile of others, and he was off. A bag or two of one brand, another one or two for something else, a can of soda (at least he was sure it was soda), and so on.

Two older men were meandering around the store and talking, so he caught snippets of their conversation.

"Unbelievable. Both the Spanish _and_ the Germans are buying those newfangled drone thingies?" one said surprisedly.

"Better believe it" the other replied.

"Whats the world coming to?" the first lamented.

"Its all a conspiracy Dave. I betcha some corporate executive is laughing his jolly ass off over watching the whole world go up in flames" the second said ruefully. Jonah glanced at his basket and decided it was enough, only grabbing a bottle of tea to complete the collection.

"Its all conspiracies with you" the first said dryly.

"Exactly mate. Next thing you know they'll unleash some nasty bio-weapon on a major city just to see what'll happen" the second warned.

Jonah ignored the rest of the two men's conversation by taking his basket of snacks to the counter and paying for the stuff out of his own pocket. He made a mental note to ask either Koko or Valmet to get his wallet refilled once he returned. The young woman behind the counter barely gave him a look until he paid, but afterwards, as he grabbed the junk food and walked away, her suddenly wide eyes lingered on him. He didn't notice her gaze.

Outside, he noticed a news crew setting up on the other side of the street. A man in a red jacket stood beside a reporter and were talking, of what he didn't know since he was too far away. He shook his head, dismissing the event. Turning back to the sidewalk, he maneuvered his way back to the hotel with three bags of snacks. He walked at a leisurely pace, with nothing around to give him any incentive to move faster.

A loud shout from behind him made Jonah turn around mid step, the source being evidently the news setup. He only took his attention away for a few seconds, but he still managed to bump into someone. The bags in his hands swung precariously, threatening to spill the contents all over the sidewalk. The boy needed a moment to regain his balance, a rehearsed apology ready in his throat. He looked to the person he collided with.

And came face to face with Black Rock Shooter.

His red eyes locked with her peculiar gear lined blue ones. Her expression was one both surprise and unconcealed relief, which he matched. For several seconds, neither of them could move, as if fearing what was happening was nothing more than a fleeting illusion that would vanish with one misspoken word or one wrong move. Jonah couldn't believe that she could be right in front of him, it simply wasn't possible.

"Rock?" he murmured uncertainly.

She suddenly drew back and straightened up, unambiguously directing her gaze elsewhere. The boy came back to his senses and did the same. Behind them the distinctive sounds that signaled cries of pain echoed out from the news crew as a fistfight broke out between the men, grabbing both of their attentions. The tension that hung in the air dissipated as they watched the brawl, repulsed but at the same time enraptured. Shaking his head once more Jonah turned back to the matter at hand.

"Where have you been?" he asked her. She reached into a pocket and withdrew her phone, quickly typing words out before she presented the screen to him. Something clinked on the ground a few feet ahead, which went unheeded.

 _Lost_ , it said. He noticed that the battery was on the last bar, and resolved to make it quick.

"Okay, the others will want to grill you later. Right now, the men are in Country B. The only ones left here in London are me, Valmet, and Koko. She doesn't know you were lost, if she finds out we're all in big trouble" he explained. She nodded in understanding.

"When we get back, I'll say you didn't want to go with them so Wiley sent you back here, okay?" he asked, prompting another nod. He nodded back and moved around her, back to the hotel. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her walk behind him, making him stop and turn back around.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, seeing that she favored one leg. Despite that her features hardened and she shook her head. He frowned.

"I can help you walk..." Jonah started, but she shook her head once more and yanked out her phone again.

 _Im fine_ , the screen read. He debated internally for a second before shaking his own head.

"Suit yourself" he murmured. Black Rock Shooter made a huffing noise and brushed passed him. Her limp wasn't glaringly obvious, but it wouldn't go unnoticed. He cleared his throat, grabbing her souring attention.

"You don't know where the hotel is" he pointed out.

Her features dropped, and she sighed wearily. He took one normal step, which went as well as countless others had. The next however did not. His boot came down on the full water bottle that fell off of a windowsill above him, slipping out underneath it and taking his balance with it. He had enough presence of mind to realize what was happening and threw his arms out. With nothing but alarm, he fell forward onto her. Th bags of snacks fell from his hands.

The girl, tired after the events of the past day, couldn't get out of the way fast enough, and tumbled underneath him. He slammed down on her, knocking the little breath out of her lungs and forcing a muted cry of pain. His hands slapped hard against the hard concrete, narrowly preventing his full weight from crushing her. Jonah sputtered, barely able to keep himself up off from her, avoiding the full fall by centimeters.

Jonah's lips gently brushed against Black Rock Shooter's.

Several seconds of nothing but his shocked eyes looking into her own surprised ones passed, each only inches apart. He knew quite clearly what such an action meant, even though he downplayed his interest in the subject. The girl knew nothing of the matter however, she could only gauge the situation based solely on her own experiences. Her arms, laid against the ground by her fall, rose up.

In one quick motion she curled her limbs up and pushed, roughly shoving Jonah off of her. The force was such that he was briefly brought back up, but not enough to put him completely back on his feet. He could feel himself falling forward again in short order. She brought one leg up and pressed it close to her, placing her knee by her collarbone. Jonah discovered that her boot had a star patterned on the heel half a second before she launched it out.

Coherent thought came to a stop as the full force of the kick impacted his chest, just below the solar plexus. The power behind the blow was such that he left the ground for a second, his feet inches away from the welcoming earth. Gravity brought him back down, his rear impacting first followed closely by the rest of him. What little breath the attack didn't squeeze out was forcibly blown out by his landing.

Jonah sucked in a gulp of air and groaned. His chest throbbed with pain, and every breath sent a sliver of hurt racing out. Grimacing, he forced himself to sit up to face her. He stopped a loud gasp from coming out by sheer effort, unwilling to show injury. Compared to being shot it couldn't measure up, though that failed to lessen it in a meaningful way.

He looked up to see Black Rock Shooter had bolted back to her feet and began alternating between testily wiping her coat and sending a hateful stare at the boy. He coughed, feeling slivers of pain throughout his chest. Her glare softened, and she turned her head away, flicking her eyes on and off of him. Perplexed, he carefully rose to his own feet, wincing the whole time. She had the phone in hand again and briefly typed something out before sticking it out, refusing to meet his gaze.

 _Im sorry_ , it said. He raised an eyebrow, not just at her but at her actions. It was almost as if she was feeling embarrassed.

"Huh" he murmured. Jonah shook his head and became aware of an important detail.

The girl mustered up enough will to look at him once more, only to be confused. The boy was bent over a bag and was gently stuffing things back inside. Once nothing else seemed to be around he darted over to another and repeated the process. He stood back up with two bags full of objects, both of them scuffed from the impact. She finally comprehended what he was doing and gave a slow nod.

"Okay, now we can go" he said plainly. He took off in a steady walk, and she followed him.

Five minutes later the two passed through the glass doors of the hotel and went immediately for the elevators. The receptionist gave the boy the same look of automatic cheer she gave everyone else that passed by, but upon seeing the pale skinned girl with mismatched pigtails and a strange looking black jacket with an emblazoned star she needed a double take to confirm what she was seeing.

Once the doors closed, Jonah spoke.

"One more time. You didn't want to go, so Wiley gave you a map and some money for the bus. You bumped into me on your way here, then somebody tried to mug you. They punched me in the stomach, and you broke their leg. Thats what you tell Koko if she asks what your doing here, okay?" he asked her. She nodded.

Outside the elevator, Jonah and Black Rock Shooter went down the hallway a short distance before the former came to a stop. He pulled out a small card, not seeing the latter sweep her head around. The place bore only a superficial resemblance to the other hotel, but that didn't stop her from thinking of what happened in Brussels. She didn't regret what happened, she just didn't want to go through it again.

He opened the door and stepped through, jostling both the plastic bags. She followed him for only a few feet, since he stopped a couple of steps in. Furrowing her brow, she leaned over his shoulder, seeing both Koko and Valmet in formal wear, both up and likely preparing to leave.

"Jonah! Just in time. Go change your shirt and-wait" the woman scrunched up her brow as she saw the unexpected arrival. Behind her Valmet's features switched to utter shock.

"Rock? What're you doing here? I told the men to take you with them" she said. Recalling Jonah's words, she pulled out the phone to explain, only to be stopped by her shaking head.

"If you didn't want to go thats fine. Remind me later to chew them out though, sending you back here on your own, c'mon" she said dismissively. Rock stared for a second, not entirely comprehending.

"Anyway, change your shirt Jonah, we're heading out for a little jaunt" Koko ordered, her cheshire smile taking hold.

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 _Country B international airport..._

"Ah hell" Lehm muttered, glancing over the tarmac.

"Does anyone else feel uncomfortable by just leaving Valmet and Jonah with the boss?" Mao voiced, hanging an arm over one of the two rented SUV's door. The rest of the men, who were either in the vehicles or by them, had similar concerns. Lehm sighed.

"No choice. Lets just get this done as fast as possible and get back" he answered resignedly. Lutz went to get in the lead vehicle but did a double take at something, which he discreetly pointed out.

"Heads up, we got some tails" he said lowly. Each man made sure to not look at once. Sure enough, hanging back some distance were a few men in suits.

"Probably Euro group. Once we're in the city we'll lose em" Wiley encouraged. Inside the car Tojo straightened out his tie.

"So now all I have to do is seal the deal with Country B good and fast" he said easily. His smile was turned upside down by the ripple of condescending giggles.

"By the way, is anyone-" he started.

"Don't jinx it" they chorused

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 _Bonn, Germany..._

The blond American in a nondescript grey suit placed both of her hands behind her back and pushed in an attempt to stop the persistent ache in her spine, muttering "I'm an idiot" under her breath. She had some success, but a simple action such as that wouldn't magically fix the problem. Part of the cause was still on her shoulder, and until she finished her job the heavy case of documents and files it would remain.

"This is so not worth two friggen diamonds, I don't care how much they're worth" Schokolade quietly complained. Because she had spent most of the day running around from one location to another, she felt exhausted.

"Hauling paperwork for Koko's connections was hard work. Hope it all works out for her though, if I get told it was all for nothing I'm going to be all kinds of pi-" she paused mid sentence, making a few if the locals nearby give her strange looks "what is that?" she whispered excitedly, sniffing the air. Her tired features lit up once she recognized it.

"Is that...swarchbeer? And german sausage? Yay!" she exclaimed excitedly, quickly prancing after the delightful scents.

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Fifteen minutes. That was all the time Koko needed to completely turn her stint of bad luck around. All the hard work and methodical tampering she had immersed herself in for nearly a day was paying dividends (metaphorically and literally). Though she would quickly brush it off, the pale woman admitted to herself that this was the most difficult job she pulled off in years, and was quite pleased with the outcome.

The smile she wore on her way out of the embassy was far more genuine than usual, which Valmet noticed at once. Beside her, she could see a spring in her step from how pleased she was. She shook her head at her boss's attitude, wondering just what she managed to do to cause such a glow. On the final stretch back to the front gate, her eye flicked to the awaiting car and its two passengers.

"How'd it go?" Jonah asked in a deadpan, standing beside the passenger door. The other's location was the same as when they arrived, her feet idly tapping the ceiling inside. Valmet made a mental note to extensively question her later.

"Absolutely amazing. Next time I see Kaspar, I'm going to rub this in his face" she gloated. She brought her wrist up and glanced at her watch.

"Where to next?" Valmet asked.

"Depends" Koko replied simply. She lowered her arm and glanced at the sky, which was becoming orange with the fading day. The look on her face was, oddly, expectant.

"Well, we could go to a restaurant. I saw an ad for an Italian place in the newspaper earlier" the one eyed woman suggested. She looked to Jonah for his opinion, who shrugged indifferently.

A muted buzz came from Koko, who quickly drew her cellphone and tapped the screen.

"Its Lehm. Everything went smoothly on that end, they're on their way back now" she reported.

"Great. I'll make a reservation then-" Valmet started, only to see Koko swish a hand at her. Jonah looked as impassive as usual, but he was concerned. She stared at her phone, focusing on it alone while Valmet looked on uncertainly. She opened her mouth to say something but the device buzzed once again, interrupted her. The pale woman brought it to her ear and tapped it.

"Hello, Hekmatyar here. Ah, Trohovski. Nope, my schedules clear. Where? Sure. Yep, see you then" she said casually to the phone. In the few seconds she was speaking her smile had changed from cheer to concealed malice.

"Now is where things get interesting" Koko said viciously.

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 _Docks, hours later..._

With nothing but a simple order of "stay put until I call you" Koko left both Jonah and Black Rock Shooter alone once again. The state lasted just long enough for both her and Valmet to leave earshot before the latter scampered off after them, the former quietly sighing before he did the same. Unlike earlier, he went in armed with a borrowed MP5. While Koko was insistent there would be no violence, he wasn't taking any chances.

Creeping stealthily alongside a cargo container, he took in everything his eyes and ears could detect. The dark of night was diluted into murky gloom by the bright lights of the city, so he could see far better than normal at the cost of anyone else doing the same. Sound was less of an issue, but there was an ever present stream of low background noise that could potentially hide a footstep or someone's breathing. It was enough to set him on edge.

He paused and checked his surroundings, confirming that he'd lost her. He was better at sneaking, but she was far more mobile. Curious, he looked up on the low chance that she was above him. She wasn't, so he continued on his previous objective.

As he went farther in the docks, he began hearing voices. That made him more cautious; the speaker clearly was neither Koko nor Valmet, making him assume it was the Trohovski woman. If she was here, than her bodyguards would be too, and he had no idea how many there were. Koko's voice echoed out, sounding like she was questioning. He was too far away to understand anything she said however.

A minute later and he froze. The silhouettes of two people were on top of a container, both wrapped in some kind of cloak. From one, the elongated rod of what could only be a rifle was positioned in the general direction of the voices. He tightened his grip and creeped closer, intending to get the jump on the two. Twenty feet away however, he saw someone else along the side, pressed against the same container. Fortunately it looked like he was focusing on the same spot as the sharpshooters.

He never heard Jonah approach. Only a strange feeling akin to a sixth sense alerted the man that there was someone behind him, but it was too late to do anything. He jabbed the barrel into the man's midsection to stop him from fully turning around, making a small shushing noise for silence. The man obeyed without so much as a tremble. He noted the man was well trained to keep calm like he was.

"How many others are there?" Jonah said softly, avoiding a whisper to keep noise down. Rather than responding the man jerked, twisting his torso around despite the gun pointed at him.

"Jonah?" the man whispered in shock. The boy's eyes went wide in recognition.

"R?" he whispered back. Lowering the weapon, he let the older man fully turn around, matching his look of surprise.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" he demanded quietly.

"We were told to wait back there but Rock-" he started.

"Rock? Wait, you found her!?" he went on, raising his voice.

"Shut up. You'll give away our position" chastised a quiet but still deep voice. Both man and boy looked up, seeing a scowling Wiley with a cowl over his head looking down on them.

"And when did you get here? Nevermind, stay down there and keep quiet" he ordered. With that, the large man crawled back out of sight. R turned his gaze back to Jonah, making his displeasure obvious.

"I'll tell you everything later. Right now, whats the situation?" he whispered.

"Lutz and Wiley are up there for sharpshooting duty, Lehm and Ugo are at a different spot, I'm here for backup, and everyone else is on the perimeter searching for reinforcements. We just got off the plane an hour ago, and we're all very tired. Now, you said you found Rock?" R asked quietly.

"Yeah, bumped into her earlier while I was running an errand" he replied likewise. The man tapped his palm against his face, muttering "figures."

"Okay good. So where is she now?" he asked again, lowering his hand to reveal a small smile of relief. Rather than answering Jonah looked away, making it vanish.

"She took off after Koko a little bit ago. I came in to find her" he whispered back.

In the dim light, Jonah could see just well enough to notice the man's eye beginning to twitch. It was a detail that made him deeply uncomfortable, and he began to fear for his own safety. Just as he began to make an exit strategy, he heard a vibrated tap from Wiley above them. R reluctantly abandoned his cold fury and went back to the side of the container, mumbling unpleasant things under his breath. With trepidation he went behind him, cautiously leaning around him to get a good look.

Koko and Valmet were standing a little distance from a woman and a suited man, evidently talking. Neither side raised their voices, and by all standards it sounded like a civil conversation. If R didn't tap on his arm and gestured to two spots, revealing two snipers with spotters, he would think it was. Now that he was close enough, he could hear what they were saying.

"Let me make something perfectly clear Amalia" Koko spoke. By the tone of her voice he could tell she was dead serious.

"Oh? Going to school me miss Hekmatyar?" said the other woman in a thick russian accent, evidently not taking the younger woman seriously. He guessed that was Trohovski.

"You've never set foot on a battlefield. I knew that the first time I laid eyes on you. Weapons have one purpose: to kill. The reasons for using them are infinite, their purpose is not. If you have never seen that in person, you'll never succeed in this business" Koko coldly stated. The other woman crossed her arms, still smirking. Even from his distance, he could tell her attitude was shifting.

"You believe me naive. I know full well that I sell dangerous things to dangerous men. People die every time a deal is made, whether its me or you" she replied, smiling but guarded.

"Dangerous things you say. I don't need any other clue then" Koko said lowly. Her smile took back hold.

"For such a wise woman, I find myself questioning why you brought only one bodyguard then" Trohovski noted.

A flicker of movement; one of the snipers R pointed out jerked to the side, too quickly to be anything but alarm. A flask of black bore down on them, lashing out at one and sending him tumbling off his perch before delivering a blow to the last one in the gut. The man didn't have time to scream before her attack sent him flying towards the impromptu meeting.

Several things happened almost instantly. Trohovski drew back with a cry as the man landed with a thump a body's length in front of her. Her bodyguard drew a pistol from his coat. A rifle report echoed out from some distance away. R swore. And a flowing black mass slammed into the ground by the fallen assassin.

In the blink of an eye an azure bolt flew out, missing the suited man by inches but stunning him. Black Rock Shooter skipped forward and spun, delivering a hefty kick to the woman and knocking her off of her feet. The boot came down and her sword was out, the point facing to the ground and her flattened palm on the grip. One motion drew in back, another would perforate her.

" **STOP**!"

The girl paused, slowly bringing her head up and around to the suddenly hoarse Koko. She walked over to them, managing to appear completely nonchalant. Jonah started to take off, only to be stopped by R frantically grabbing ahold and restraining him. The girl lowered her weapon and stepped aside, giving the pale woman a neutral look along with a berth.

"One bodyguard you said?" she said bemusedly. Trohovski's mouth moved silently while her own bodyguard groaned.

"Wh-what the" she stuttered. Koko chuckled under her breath and straightened out her coat, making a gesture to the air. R let Jonah go, and above he heard Wiley and Lutz getting up.

"Two things before I go. First, was it you who hired those hitmen, or was it the defense companies that I took over to make this deal happen? Based on your reaction, I'm assuming it was the former" she said casually. The woman gulped and shakily nodded.

"I figured, but didn't want to assume. Secondly, I spent a small fortune buying up all your company's stock. I'll sell it back to you for...ten percent? Nah, five. Deal?" Koko asked.

"Y-y-yes" she replied shakily.

"Good. I pulled a lot of dirty tricks for this job, and I dont feel like doing it again. For now, lets go with a 'live-and-let-live' policy, kay?" Koko asked sweetly, bending over and sticking out a hand. Hesitantly she accepted. With a muted grunt she pulled the older woman to her feet, the latter sending a fearful look at the strange girl beside them.

"Yesterday's enemy, tomorrow's friend" she said quietly.

"Exactly. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to my hotel for some rest" Koko perfunctorily waved.

With that said, she turned on her heels and walked the way she came in, Valmet and Black Rock Shooter flanking her. Beside him Jonah heard R sigh.

"Glad thats over" he murmured. Jonah nodded in agreement.

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 **A/N: There, done. I realize this was a tad late, so let me apologize. Seriously, when I was writing this it was like everything was out to get me. But now its completed, and my counter is reset to zero. Joy.**


	10. Chapter 10

Layover, she called it.

Jonah reflected on the word choice while the inflatable raft (Lehm insisted on calling it a dingy) sped its way from the Atlas, where the crew had been on for the past several days. The tiny craft bobbed from the waves as Wiley ferried him away from the large cargo ship, the man expertly guiding the boat over the shining clear water. Though he didn't look, he knew the man was grinning.

A week after the UAV conference and everything seemed to be back to normal. Koko slept for nearly a full day afterwards, but once she awoke and cleaned herself she was almost as good as new, to the team's relief. The announcement of a new job in the immediate future did not go over well however, though once they heard the terms they ceased most of the griping. Moreover, since they were surprisingly ahead of schedule she decided to take a day for 'layover'.

All of the boy's senses were being assaulted; his sight was being blinded by the reflection off of the water, his smell and taste were overwhelmed by the salty air, his hearing was filled with the roar of the tiny boat's engine, and the whipping of the wind combined with the warm spray of the breaking waves. He didn't mind though. It was an uncommon moment of peace, where he knew for certain he could relax.

Wiley let off the throttle, slowing the craft down for the oncoming shore. In a few seconds he let off entirely, making it coast forward under its remaining momentum. It didn't make it entirely to the shore before it petered out, but he wasn't trying to. The man glanced over the side and grunted in satisfaction. He reached over and grabbed the small anchor, testing the line first before tossing it over.

Jonah waited until it was over before he slid over the top of the rubber lining and sank into the warm seawater. One of his arms was held high, the black object held firmly above the water. It was a little deeper than he expected, roughly waist height. He was glad Valmet bought him a pair of swim trunks days earlier, otherwise he would not be pleased about his state. The sand billowed around his feet as he waded to the shore. Behind him he heard Wiley dive in with a splash.

Koko was only fifty feet away, sitting on a flat rock wearing her own black two piece bikini with an over shirt as well as a fedora. Beside her was a pink towel, a bottle of suntan lotion atop it, and in her lap was a black laptop. She was busy typing away on it, working on a project or something as she always seemed to do when there was spare time. Jonah couldn't quite understand it. She didn't notice him until he was a dozen feet away.

"Hey Jonah" she greeted, wearing a friendly smile.

"Hey. I brought your new battery" he said taciturnly, offering the small black rectangle. His own features were inscrutable.

"Thanks. Just in time too, the thing died on me a few seconds ago" she replied gratefully, taking the proffered item. He watched her for a moment while she changed the power, working on how he was going to speak.

"Go on, go play. I'll be along in a bit, only got a few things left to do first" she offered, waving to the awaiting beach. When he still didn't move she looked up from her computer and gave him a questioning look. He let out a low breath.

"Koko, there's something I need to tell you" he started, sounding uncertain.

"Does it have to do with Rock running off while we were in London?" she suggested bemusedly. Despite himself, Jonah couldn't help but jerk his head up in surprise, which made her giggle.

"H-how..." he went at a loss for words.

"I have mind reading powers, don't you know?" Koko said playfully. His expression of muted shock didn't change, so she sighed dramatically.

"Valmet broke down and told me the whole story a few days ago. You should've seen her, she was on the verge of tears. You're not in trouble" she hastily corrected, seeing alarm in the boy's eyes "I understand why you guys did it. I was up to my eyeballs in work. Add in our resident whatsit on the loose and I just might've had a breakdown. Thank god for the Thais" she said to herself. He quietly sighed in relief, before he realized something.

"Thais?" Jonah asked.

"Thailand. Its a country in East Asia. Normally thats my brother's space, but they were in the market for new hardware, especially American made stuff or some reason. Glad it went through, but you should've seen the rep they sent. Could do without that in the future, that white haired guy gave me the creeps. Anyway, keep a closer eye on her in the future, okay?" she asked. He nodded.

"Good. On that subject, she's over by Mao if you want to know. He picked her up a new swimsuit before we left London, he's the only one of the guys I trusted for that" she explained, pointing away. He raised a brow.

"Why?" he asked. She giggled again.

"Go ask him yourself" she said playfully. He had the feeling he wasn't going to get anymore out of her. Looking away, towards the shining Mediterranean sea, he decided that it was alright.

Wiley was waving to him, beckoning the boy closer. He pushed his concerns aside and took off in a run. The large man held both of his hands out, so Jonah ran forward and grasped them himself. Wiley swung, lifting him off of his feet and spinning him. He was briefly reminded of a film he got a glimpse of on television once before he let go, sending the boy skyward. He bellowed in laughter.

Jonah couldn't help but smile. He was easily ten feet in the air from being thrown yet he found no cause to be upset. When gravity brought him back down he hit the water, which stung worse than he expected it to, but that changed nothing in his mind. For a couple of seconds he was underwater, and he marveled at the sensation. The pressing weight, the murky distortion of the light, and the strange alteration of all noise. He compared it to the boat ride in and tried to decide which was better. The ache of his lungs however interrupted the thought.

He broke the surface with a gasp, the first thing he was hearing being the lapping of the waves. The second was the laughter of R and Lutz.

"Look who decided to drop in" R punned.

"Its throw-a-Jonah! Who do you think can chuck him the farthest?" Lutz challenged.

Ugo waded over and cracked his knuckles, sporting a massive grin. In a single heave he pulled the boy out of the water entirely. Tossing him over his enormous shoulder, he waded back to shore, taking a second to gesture for the two men to keep position, which they obliged. He stopped in ankle deep water, lowered Jonah down, and proceeded to make him fly.

Jonah thought Wiley tossed him high, but compared to Ugo he hardly did a thing. A massive grin overtook his features as he sailed through the air. When he was airborne, he caught a glimpse of Koko, who looked up. At once his smile was gone. The two shared a look for only a split second, yet even that was enough to make it vanish. He felt it was safe again only once he crashed into the sea again.

Nearby, the men set up a small table and a few foldout chairs earlier. Lehm and Mao lounged in them, undergoing their idea of relaxation: watching the others doing whatever it was that pleased them, and sipping the few beers the latter brought. Both clapped and cheered at the successful toss. Mao's grin faded as a pertinent fact occurred to him.

"Hey Lehm" he said.

"Yeah?" the older man responded.

"Is it just me, or is everyone we work with completely ripped?" he asked. Lehm's hand stopped mid movement halfway down the side of the chair, his own half grin fading. He looked down at himself, seeing the leathery skin that was dotted with circular pockmarks with a fresh eye. His eyes swiveled to Mao and saw much of the same.

"Now that you mention it..." Lehm mumbled. A quick inspection of all his teammates, all but one shirtless, yielded the same result. Each one had six pack abs and rippling muscles. Each one.

"You, me, Lutz, Wiley, even Jonah" Mao went on. Tojo steeped forward to the cheers of the others, preparing to toss the boy himself.

"Yeah. It makes sense though. This job requires a lot out of you, if you're not in shape you can't do it" Lehm rationalized. A call to Valmet to give it a try was met with a polite negative.

"I'm not complaining, just speaking my thoughts here. It is weird though, noticing little things like that" Mao said with a shrug. Lehm nodded and looked over his shoulder.

"Actually, you're not entirely right" he said. Mao caught on and gave a wary look himself.

"True. But I don't think she needs them that much" he added carefully. Lehm thought for a moment and came up with a bright idea. He whistled with his teeth to grab her attention.

"Hey Black Rock Shooter, why don't you go for a swim?" he suggested. The girl, who until that point had been sitting crosslegged watching the sky, gave a neutral look in response.

"C'mon, it wont kill ya, will it Mao?" he prodded.

"Well..." the chinese man led off uncertainly.

"See? Besides, look how much fun they're having" Lehm gestured to the splashing group. The girl shrugged and stood up, taking a second to brush some of the sand off before strolling away. Both men watched her for a few seconds before sighing in relief.

"That girl is going to be the death of me" Lehm muttered.

"No kidding. I thought my kids were little hellraisers, but she makes them look like-what're you doing?" Mao asked all of a sudden. Lehm paused once again, the pack of cigarettes in his hand standing out accusatorially.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked.

"I thought you were quitting" he retorted. Lehm grinned mirthlessly.

"In the time that I spent cold turkey, we had a gun battle in the freezing cold, Koko got slammed with two hard jobs at once, our resident weirdo goes missing, and I stubbed my toe four times. Obviously this is a sign from God: Lehm, don't give up smoking" the older man explained, holding his arms out for emphasis.

"...Huh..." was all Mao could come up with in response.

For the third time in twenty minutes Jonah came up for air after being thrown. Despite gasping for breath, he found it difficult to stop the sizable grin on his features. He felt something, a feeling he couldn't name or properly classify at first. In any case, he definitely liked it. It was... _fun_. He rolled the word around his head, preserving it in memory.

"That is one hot body" he heard Lutz say conspiratorially. Curious, the boy looked over to see him and Tojo up to their chins in the waist deep water, staring intensely in one direction. He glanced at whatever they were focused on, discovering Valmet. She was sitting on a flat slab pf rock, sunning herself in her somewhat undersized two piece bikini. After thinking over the blond man's words he found himself agreeing with his assessment.

"Oh yeah. But keep it to yourself, I don't want to be the poor bastard who gets caught snooping. Thats a capital offense, punishment is a knife execution" Lutz warned. Tojo huffed in disappointment.

"Just our luck. The most killer body in miles is the one with the highest body count" he said, exuding his displeasure. The man smirked, making a motion out of pushing his glasses up.

"I got a plan though. C'mon, follow my lead" he urged, pushing forward. Lutz followed after a second. Without much else to do Jonah gently swam after them, making sure to keep some distance from them.

"So, what's your idea?" Lutz asked quietly.

"Simple. Swim around, laugh, do your usual thing and have your best 'I'm-not-checking-you-out' face on" Tojo answered smugly.

"Will it work?" Luzt asked again.

"Just as long as you keep your act up, we'll be all set-whah?!" Tojo sputtered.

Jonah watched with interest as R sauntered up to the sunning woman with a smile and a wave. The man took crouched down next to her, exchanging grins and pleasantries. Valmet didn't seem to mind, even going so far as to tap on the rock next to her. After she laughed at something he said the boy glanced at the two swimmers, and though he couldn't see their expressions, he knew they were furious.

"That slippery sonofabitch" Tojo mumbled angrily.

"Damn, he beat us to her" Lutz said in kind. R crept around to her back and asked her something, which Valmet heartily agreed. Both men swore.

"The friendly back rub maneuver. Textbook" Lutz muttered in anger.

R said something again that made Valmet laugh while his hands were on her shoulders, massaging the powerful muscles. She sighed, adopting a look of bliss. Jonah raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was getting to. His answer came in the form of one of the man's hands stealthily detaching from her shoulder and creeping along her side. He was far away, but not far enough to avoid seeing his hand give one of her breasts a gentle tap. He smiled.

Thirty five feet away, Jonah smiled too, though for a different reason entirely.

It happened almost too quickly to see. Valmet pitched forward onto her hands, using her momentum to throw her body up as well. Then, while she was standing upside down she curled her legs up and threw them out. R didn't even have time to scream before her kick hit the center of his torso. So much power went into the blow that the man, not large by any means but far from small, was boldly sent airborne.

The boy watched with detached interest, his head swiveling to keep track of R. He was shouting something that sounded like a rude comeback before he tapped the water, and to Jonah's amazement, skipped like a rock. Even more amazingly, he managed to do it two more times before he finally went under and sank. Both Tojo and R swore and frantically swam after him. Seeing his limp body slowly floating up made him decide to leave.

Ugo had one hand over his brows to see better. Once he was sure that R was still alive he lowered it and took a look at the approaching boy. He gave a wave, which Jonah returned. Once he was in waist deep water (for him) and upright Ugo spoke.

"Hey Jonah, up for another toss?" he asked. The boy opened his mouth, but instead of speaking he looked away. Curious, the man twisted his head around, only to be similarly silenced.

Approaching them was Black Rock Shooter. Instead of her usual outfit, she wore only a single piece black swimsuit covering her entire torso. Her hands and boots were exposed, the first time he'd ever seen them like that. Her hair was still done up as normal however, yet with the different attire she looked much more like a human being. Only her unusually pale skin made her stick out. Ugo quietly whistled.

"Talk about causal wear" he murmured. The girl ignored him and strode right up to the edge of the beach, taking a long stare out in the distance.

"R's okay" Jonah said. She nodded and gave the rippling water an appraising look.

"Waters fine too if you were wondering. Say..." Ugo trailed off, bringing one of his large hands up to stroke his chin.

Tojo and Lutz were wadding back to shore propping up R, who although clearly conscious refrained from moving. He had a dead look on his face, and his eyes were glossy. Neither man looked happy about their burden, and the boy suspected it was taking them a lot of willpower to continue. Lest the italian suffer an 'accidental' drowning.

"Did he deserve that?" asked Koko. All three jerked over in surprise, seeing the boss standing only a few feet away with both fists on her hips. She was smirking at the small gathering.

"He touched Valmet's boob" Jonah said blandly. Ugo's features twisted up, while her eyebrows raised in surprise.

" _Really_? He's been working with her for how long?" she asked rhetorically, shaking her head in bemusement.

"Hey Rock" Ugo said, turning to the girl. She did the same, sporting a looked of bored interest.

"You saw we were doing a fun game of 'toss-the-Jonah' earlier right?" she nodded "feel like giving it a whirl yourself?" he asked her.

"I know she's strong, but I don't think she's that strong" Koko said in concern. With a heave the two men deposited the near comatose R on the beach, both panting heavily.

"No no, I mean do you want to be tossed? Ask him, its fun. Right?" Ugo corrected, directing the last part at Jonah, who thought for a second before nodding. The girl shrugged. Upon seeing the small gathering Tojo and Lutz grew curious and approached them. A little distance away Valmet was walking to the water but changed direction.

"Alright. Now, just gimme your hands and I'll spin you around really fast. Don't worry, the water will cushion your landing" Ugo explained.

The tiny group watched with rapt attention as the girl held out her hands. The driver's own dwarfed hers several times over, allowing an easy grip. Eleven eyes followed her as Ugo began to twirl her around, starting slow but going faster and faster. In a few seconds her feet left the ground entirely, and another couple was all he needed to build up enough speed. With a mighty cry he let go.

Multiple jaws dropped, and someone whistled. She went flying, going so far as to become a tiny speck. Only then did she go back down, the large splash she made appearing minuscule from such a distance. He wasn't sure, but Jonah was sure she curled into a ball before landing. Someone else whistled, or naybe it was the same person, he didn't know.

"Damn Ugo. For a minute I though Valmet had you beat when she booted R" Tojo said in amazement. Lutz clapped, and the man in question chuckled triumphantly.

"Yep, you're the man" Valmet agreed. Several of them chuckled again, but it died down quickly until there was no sound beyond the lapping water and the occasional seagull cry.

"Did anyone check to see if she could swim?" Koko asked.

An awkward greeted her.

In an instant four men and a woman sprinted towards the water, diving in at full speed. Lutz's cry of "Shit!" appropriately summed up their new attitudes. Since he was already in the water Jonah had a head start, though Valmet quickly overtook him. Not for the lack of trying however. He swam as fast as he could, but the one eyed woman's powerful strokes were difficult to beat. A distant part of him noted that the rest of the men weren't far behind.

Once he was where she landed (roughly anyway) Jonah took an enormous gulp of air and dived. The salty water stung at his eyes, but he ignored it. Fortunately for all their sakes, the water was fairly shallow, allowing him to spot her immediately. She was closing to the bottom and descending further, thrashing her arms and legs in a futile effort to stop. Even as he went down, he could see her movements becoming slower, more sluggish.

His lungs were burning, but he pushed on anyway. Valmet reached her first, grabbing ahold of one struggling arm and yanking. She resisted, but her strength was fading. Jonah wrapped his own arms around her torso and kicked his legs as fast as he could manage. His vision was beginning to go hazy from the effort, his lungs were on fire for need of air. Yet still he pressed forward.

What seemed to be an eternity later he finally broke the surface of the water. He sucked in a breath, then raggedly coughed from accidentally inhaling some water. Several other splashes came from around him, which turned out to be the men. One of them, he couldn't tell who, grabbed her from his weakening arms, to which he was grateful.

Valmet led the new pair off in a direction, momentarily confusing the boy. His thoughts weren't entirely clear, but he knew for sure which way the shore was. His question was answered once she began to inexplicably rise out of the water. One brief look underwater confirmed the presence of a sandbar. Mentally he thanked her for finding it. Easier than going all the distance back to the shoreline.

When his feet found purchase Jonah dragged himself up, trying not to gasp too hard. Looking over, he found out that it was actually Tojo of all people who had grabbed Black Rock Shooter from him, though Valmet still led them. A quick sweep confirmed R, Lutz, and Ugo were all present as well, each breathing heavily from the effort. He lingered on the latter for a second longer than strictly necessary.

With the finnish woman's help, they managed to flip the girl over so she was facing down. She propped Rock up while he gently knocked on the center of her back. For a couple of seconds she was unresponsive, but soon she coughed. What started as a muffled sound quickly morphed into pained sputtering. Hesitantly Valmet let go, allowing the girl's arms to drop into the water while she proceeded to heave.

Jonah gently approached, idly noting the sunken sandbar was flooded only slightly above his ankles. Both of the bodyguards sent a worried look his way before focusing back on the panting girl. A discreet look to the side showed him that some specks of debris floated in front of her, indicating that she had vomited. She was still huddled down, her chest still shuddering with labored breathing.

All of a sudden she pushed herself up, flailing her arms around to get Tojo and Valmet out of the way before stomping forward. Water flew with each step, but she hardly seemed to care. Lights danced down her arm, quickly forming the cannon. Several feet away she raised it and let loose a volley of bolts, not seeming to aim at anything more accurate than the water. Despite himself Jonah flinched, and a fast twist of his head revealed the others were too.

After a dozen or so shots she stopped, the end of the barrel trailing smoke, her chest rapidly moving with her breaths. Over the waves he heard her pant. Slowly Tojo raised his fist to his mouth and made an empathetic cough. Her head whipped around, showing a face that radiated fury. All of the assembled people flinched. She stayed that way for a nerve wracking span of time.

Her features softened when she heard something, making her finally lower the weapon. The group collectively sighed in relief, before the sound registered to them as well. It was the sound of a boat motor, which turning around showed the source as the dingy. Running the motor was Lehm, along the side was Mao, and on the bow was Koko. The throttle slowed down in preparation of stopping.

Once it was close Koko hopped off the craft into the water. She waded closer, her face inscrutable. She swept the stunned group, examining each of them one by one until her eyes landed on the still winded Black Rock Shooter. Her gaze flickered, and with a start the girl realized her weapon was still out. More lights flashed, making the enigmatic tool vanish. The pale woman smirked.

"Of all possible things, it turns out your weakness is you can't swim" she said simply.

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 **Man, talk about a copout. A month's time and all I come up with his four thousand odd words covering the beach day episode? And after the meandering mess of the last chapter? The fail train has no brakes apparently. Well guess what? CRY MOAR! As a consolation though, here's two omakes.**

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 **Omake Ein: The Dream(?). Suggested by VentXekart.**

 _Something's not right,_ Jonah thought.

He felt a weight on his body, something warm and smooth that seemed to have everything but his head covered. Whatever it was, it brought him out of a deep sleep. The sensations were...strange. Not comfortable, but for whatever reason he found it hard to say it was unpleasant. Then he realized he last remembered falling asleep on the couch at the hotel they were at.

Raising his head, he discovered at once the source of the strange feeling.

Koko, Valmet, Black Rock Shooter, Dr. Miami, and a fourth girl he didn't recognize were wrapped around him, all of them sleeping, none of them wearing much more than sleepwear. The fourth girl had a similar skin tone to Koko, a bowl cut with curls for hair, and a set of horns. Curious, he moved one of his free hands to touch them. They felt roughly textured and warm. He perked up an eyebrow.

He looked down, only to see the girl's half lidded eyes. They were similar to Black Rock Shooter's (inlaid gears and all) but green instead of blue. He occured to him that he was touching her, so he gently retracted his hand. Feeling a blush coming on, he looked forward to discover that the four other women were all awake as well. Each one stared at him with the same half lidded look.

"I...I...I'll be going now" Jonah said quickly.

He tried to get up, but five pairs of arms encircled him and gripped. He struggled, but their combined hold was too strong. Each one then slid closer to him, wrapping themselves around him in turn. As they comfortably cuddled to him Jonah forced his eyes shut, wishing with all he had that it was just a dream.

Jonah opened his eyes. Everything around him seemed clearer, less hazy. With a start he realized he was simply asleep. A grin crept over his features, and he sighed in deep relief.

"Just a dream" he murmured. A groan caught his attention. Looking down, he saw that Koko, Black Rock Shooter, the horned girl, Miami, Valmet, Chiquita, and another blue haired girl were surrounding him. Each one of the seven women wore pajamas and were cuddling with him. His eyes went wide in fright.

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 **Omake Zwei: Monkey See, Monkey Do. Suggested by Acidka.**

"Watch yourself R" Valmet growled angrily. In one smooth motion she dropped to her hands and shoved her foot up, kicking the man so hard that he flew.

"These breasts belong to me and Koko!" she bellowed as the man flew off into the horizon, twinkling as he vanished. She came back to her feet and knocked her hands together to brush off the dirt. She smirked.

"That'll teach him" she said under her breath. She turned to go to the water, but stopped as she realized Black Rock Shooter sitting on her haunches a few feet away, watching everything that just transpired with rapt attention.

"Oh, that. He groped me. A man should never do that to a lady" she explained. The girl nodded in understanding. She suddenly shot up and took off at a blistering pace. Valmet shook her head in paternal amusement at her actions, then began mentally chastising Mao for buying a school swimsuit for her.

A hundred feet away Ugo roared in effort as he threw Jonah. The boy got a crash course in flight once he let go. While airborne he thought he saw an R shaped speck in the distance, but he couldn't tell for sure before the painful embrace of the ocean took him in. After that he focused all his effort on not drowning and getting back to shore. A thing that could have potentially been a shark made him paddle faster.

"Damn I'm good" Ugo said to himself, grinning. A sudden weight on his shoulder removed it however. Perplexed, he looked up to unexpectedly find a halo of black hair surrounding a pale face.

"Um, hi" he said uncertainly.

She shifted a few inches to allow something entirely different: her hands on his broad shoulders, massaging them. He stood still, unable to come up with a good plan to extract himself from the situation. It became a thousand times worse when her hand snaked down his side, and gently, sneakily even, tapped his muscled pectoral. His face puckered.

"Um, could you please not do that?" Ugo said, his voice high pitched. She ignored him. His worst fears came to life as a annoyed cough came from behind him. Slowly he turned around, raising both his hands up pleadingly. Black Rock Shooter's fondling became more insistent.

"Ugo" Koko said neutrally. Her features were unreadable, which only made him panic more.

"Hi Koko" he replied, quaking with fear.

"What're you doing?" she asked in the same way.

"I...um, I um, um...look she started doing this by herself okay? I didn't do anything" he said defensively, almost pleadingly.

"Okay" was her flat reply. The entire time they were speaking the girl continued to fondle the large man's enormous chest.

Just as quickly as she arrived Black Rock Shooter jumped off Ugo's shoulders, apparently dissatisfied. She was searching for a new victim-er, volunteer, the moment she touched the sand. All of the remaining beach-goers (sans R) were analyzed, but none were suitable for her purposes. Until she spotted Jonah coming out of the water, water sluicing off of his small but built body. She smirked evilly.

The child soldier in question had just out swam a shark, and thus was tired and out of breath. So Black Rock Shooter's assault went unanswered. She walked right up to him and grabbed his pecs, massaging them. Jonah looked down at her working hands, thenback up at her focused expression.

"Oh hey Jonah. Sorry about that, dont know what got into her" Koko said, walking up to them. Rather than answering, Jonah raised his own hand and grabbed her pectoral.

Black Rock Shooter's hand stopped.

Koko's jaw dropped.

Jonah twinkled.

"Oh...kay...that was...brave of him" Koko said disbelievingly. The girl swung back to her feet and huffed.


	11. Chapter 11

_Morning, the next day..._

"So we went from beach times to flying delivery" Lutz muttered, inaudible without the mike setup.

"I know, I was there" Mao replied in the same manner. Over the roar of the AN-12's's engines the headset was the only thing that made conversation possible.

"And we're flying right into the Balkans" Lutz complained further.

"Quit your whining man" Mao dismissed.

"Yeah yeah. Hey Jonah, mind checking the cockpit for travel time?" the former turned to ask. The boy didn't respond. Curious, he extended an arm and gently shook his shoulder. His head rolled over, his eyes groggily opening.

"Huh?" was the most coherent response he could give.

"Could you go check to see how much further we have to go?" Lutz asked again.

Jonah nodded and got up from the uncomfortable seat. The plane was stuffed to the brim, but thanks to his small size moving around wasn't difficult. The few people he moved passed were another issue however. No one said anything (not that he would've heard them if they did) yet he could feel their eyes boring holes into him, their disapproval evident.

"Hey there, you doing alright?" asked one. He stopped and looked at the woman. Twentish, brunette, and pretty described the doctor. As well as a warm smile.

"Yeah. Yourself?" he asked back.

"Been worse. My names Margret Masser. You can call me Maggie. Whats yours?" she asked friendlily.

"Jonathan Mar. Everyone calls me Jonah. Excuse me, I have something to do" he said back, moving again the moment he finished. Though he couldn't hear much, he did hear one of the other doctors speak to Maggie. He distinctly heard 'child soldier' come up.

He shook his head to dispel the thought. The group of ten they were transporting belonged to an organization called Outspoken Doctors for Human Rights. They seemed similar to the Red Cross that he'd seen before, but far more disciplined. More so than Koko's bodyguards even. He couldn't help but be impressed. Thinking of them, Jonah couldn't help but recall the briefing the day before.

 _Sixteen hours earlier..._

"Alright guys" Koko began without preamble. Standing the head of the table, she radiated excitement. The assembled team circling it felt differently though. It may have had something to do with the cramped conference room on board the Atlas being filled with eleven people, giving everyone inside a feeling of claustrophobia.

"If you'll look at the paper in front of you" she gestured at the short pamphlet in front of everyone "you'll see its time for..." she trailed off, clenching her eyes shut in anticipation "an air delivery!"

Her loud pronouncement was met with stares.

"Koko works best when we stick to ground and sea travel" Lehm easily dismissed. The woman in question growled angrily.

"Thats just you being a sourpuss. Convince yourself that something will go wrong and something will. Stay positive and everything will turn out A-okay. Bet on it" she declared confidently. Lehm leaned over to Wiley sitting next to him and blocked his face with a free hand, smirking devilishly.

"I'd like to change my bookie" he whispered loudly. Wiley and several others snickered, while Koko stomped her foot down in indignation.

"Fine! Be that way! When this is all over and it was smooth sailing you choke on that!" she shouted indignantly, looking more like an upset child than anything. Meanwhile R flipped through the paper for details.

"What time do we leave?" he asked. The others nodded and turned to her for answers. The pale woman needed a moment to get herself back under control before she could answer.

"Early. My plan has us at the airfield at four thirty and airborne before dawn. We meet the client at ten, drop off the order, and be back by four at the latest" Koko explained, still sounding somewhat testy.

"Kay" they chorused.

"Thats all. Grab some chow and get some rest. We have a long _and smooth_ day tomorrow" the last bit was meant for Lehm, who merely chuckled.

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Ten minutes after they arrived at the airport Koko discovered that the corporate office had added a humanitarian group to their weapons transport. Once she verified the information she swore repeatedly and at length to make it perfectly clear how she felt about it. After she calmed down it was back to business. They loaded up the shipment and the people then took off without incident. There were no further problems for either category, but it was still a complication.

His radio crackled when he was only a few feet away from the cockpit.

"Jonah, come to the cockpit. I wanna show you something" Koko's static laden voice ordered.

Rather than answer he kept going the short remaining distance. A routine surrounding check revealed where Black Rock Shooter was; huddled in the corner with a coarse blanket over her for some reason, watching his movements. He ignored her and climbed up the few steps up from the cabin. Koko had a map in front of her and one hand on her headset, an annoyed look on her face. She jumped when he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, there you are. You scared me" she admitted, cracking a smile. She folded the map up and went to her hands and knees, crawling towards a small alcove. One look and a perfunctory wave made him do the same. The passage was tiny, just wide enough to admit the two of them.

"Ever been in the nose if an airplane before?" she asked, smirking.

A few feet ahead and Jonah saw it. A pane of glass, and beyond it, a view that he could scarcely believe. Green fields, forests, rivers, lakes, and buildings, far below. It all stretched away to the far horizon in every direction. It slowly rolled away, everything vanishing from his sight being replaced in equal measure. All of it looked so insignificant, yet so vast. His breath was taken away by the sheer magnitude of what he was seeing.

"I knew you'd like it" Koko said satisfactorily. As stealthily as possible she crept towards him, but before she could succeed he turned his head around to show his blank expression. She cursed under her breath.

"We'll be closing in on Planina airport shortly" announced Ugo over the intercom.

"Alright. Jonah, I want you to get back in the cargo bay and direct the ODH people to the front and under tarps so they'll look like cargo. If they give you any lip grab Wiley" she explained. He gave an affirmative and crawled out. Once outside he took a few seconds to work some cramps out of his muscles. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed that Black Rock Shooter had hardly moved.

"We're going to land soon. You better get ready" he said to her. He expected a nod, or a huff. Instead, she brought her arm out from under the blanket with her phone in hand. The display was already on, and he bent over to read the text.

 _You never smile when shes around_ , it read. Jonah raised an eyebrow, giving her a strange look in the process. She retracted the hand and quickly typed something else out before showing him again.

 _Why?_

"Thats none of your business" he answered coldly. Before she could type out anything else he turned and shuffled back the way he came.

Back in the cargo bay he let out a short breath. As much as he didn't want to admit it, her question had touched a nerve. He shook his head and went about his task. Jonah searched around for a moment before he found some tarp. While he began readying the covering he felt the plane begin to sway. Nearby Mao looked over, needing a few seconds to figure out what he was doing before he got up to help. Glancing over, he saw Maggie looking in his direction and waved her over.

The AN-12 appeared to lazily coast in the air. Coming in on its final descent, the four engined plane extended its landing gear in preparation. At a speed that was neither too fast or too slow it came down, every action a carefully orchestrated affair on the part of Ugo and the HCLI captain. One wrong move and several million dollars worth of equipment and product would go to waste in a flash, to say nothing of immolating two dozen lives.

There were no problems. The squat wheels bounced off of the asphalt runway once before settling back. The plane coasted away, both its pilots letting the skidding wheels and the upturned flaps take away the enormous amount of momentum the vehicle had. Every second took away more and more, until it was moving slowly enough that a brisk jog could keep pace. A few figures left one of the utilitarian hangars of the small airport and approached the aircraft.

A mile away, a lone figure in a jeep spoke into his radio.

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He peeked out of the corner of his eye for the hundredth time to confirm that she was still smirking. Her hands were on her hips, her stance was relaxed, and she was still had on that particular smug smile that he privately hated. The one that spoke of how pleased she felt and how badly she wanted to rub it in, but the present situation prevented her from going all out. It was enough to drive him mad.

"Hey Lehm" Koko said, just outside of arm's reach. The grip on his carbine tightened.

"Yes?" he said through gritted teeth.

"Guess what" she said again.

"What?" Lehm replied, his teeth clenched shut. Being on duty meant that his nicotine habit could not be indulged in, stretching his cheerful demeanor to the breaking point.

"Nothings happened" she giggled.

Koko was saved from a right hook by the officer in charge of the airport approaching her. Lehm stepped away and breathed a sigh of relief, glad he didn't have to do something he would regret. The pale woman's smile shifted from smug to her default in short order. If her clients saw the former it wouldn't endear him to her. The officer (his pips said captain) either didn't notice or chose not to notice.

"I can't thank you enough miss Hekmatyr for making this delivery" he said gratefully in a typical eastern european accent, putting out an open hand. She took it and upped her smile a notch, internally grateful herself that his grip was rough but clean, unlike so many others she had the misfortune of shaking hands with.

"Its no issue captain. In truth I should thank you for doing business with me and HCLI" she replied. Two more shakes and he released.

"Regardless, you are a lifesaver. I am so glad we went with your company" he said. Behind the uniformed man a mixture of his own personnel and a few of her team were busy unloading the impressive 122mm artillery guns from the plane, taking them out one by one and lining them up on the grass. She noted with approval that none of the troops were going inside the plane, merely helping it off the ramp. She idly noted they all wore digital woodland camouflage.

"There is one more thing" the captain added, briefly surprising her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Valmet approach.

"I understand that you usually carry surplus cargo, and that you'll part for it for the right price. This delivery fulfills our order, but more equipment is always appreciated" he suggested. She brought her smile back up, but her eyes narrowed a minute degree.

"I'm afraid that will have to be a no. While that is normally my policy, there's a very limited amount of cargo space for aerial transport as opposed to maritime. Your order took up our maximum capacity, so I don't have anything else to give you" Koko explained. The man's features fell.

"Ah, I had not thought of that. I apologize" he replied.

"Its alright, just an honest mistake" she soothed.

Valmet let out a quiet breath. Her instincts were going off, but for the life of her she couldn't pinpoint the cause. The entire base was giving off a bad vibe to her, warning her of oncoming danger. An inspection of the others told her she wasn't the only one feeling it. And if she was feeling it, then Koko doubtlessly felt the same. She hoped they could leave as soon as possible.

She spied the girl walking towards the unloading cargo and made a beeline to intercept her.

"Hey there Rock" she greeted friendlily, putting out an arm in front of her to stop her. She stopped her pace and glanced at her in curiosity.

"Something the matter?" she asked. Black Rock Shooter reached into her pocket, jostling her coat just enough to show her torso. Valmet immediately put out her flattened hand.

"Hold on" she brushed the flap aside, ignoring the girl's glare, to get a good view. She retracted her hand and gave her a confused look.

"Where and how did you get a gun?" Valmet asked. A new belt was strapped to her waist, and hanging off of it on her left side was a holster containing a black handgun. She narrowed her eyes and typed out something before presenting it.

 _Koko gave it to me_ , the small screen read. Valmet frowned.

"She did? But why? You're like the last person on earth that needs a weapon" she said. Black Rock Shooter shrugged indifferently. The woman sighed.

"Alright. You at least know how to use it right?" she asked.

The girl rolled her eyes and brushed her coat back. Using only one hand she unclipped the holster and drew the gun, pulling it out and letting it hang from her palm. Valmet saw that it was a SIG SP, making her wonder why Koko picked that particular one. She also saw that her fingers were wrapped securely around the grip, yet her pointer finger wasn't extended to the trigger guard. Safe, but it had the expectation that it wasn't going to be used.

"Okay, put it away before anyone sees it" she ordered. To her considerable relief she replaced the weapon in the same fashion that she retrieved it, no fancy actions like twirling it around. Once it was back she brought the phone around again.

 _What are those?_ She gestured to the guns.

"Oh, those are artillery guns. You know how a firearm works? Same idea, just scaled up a few hundred times. Mao used to operate things like these, so when we get outta here go ask him about them" she answered. She nodded.

Nearby Jonah observed the exchange. The sight of the gun confused him just as much as Valmet. Having given the matter some thought before he would figured she would've wanted something bigger than a mere nine millimeter. Though he figured that it was just a precaution on Koko's part, not a permanent solution. The Balkans was a dangerous region after all, some extra protection couldn't go wrong.

"You alright?" R asked, snapping him out of his trance. Turning his head Jonah saw that the man was right next to him, arriving without him noticing. He cleared his thoughts to prevent it from happening again.

"Yeah. Little bored though" he answered.

"Tell me you aren't wishing for something to happen" he said suddenly.

"...No? Why?" he answered uncertainly. R bent over and cupped a hand around his mouth.

"You ever heard of the phrase 'be careful of what you wish for?'" he whispered.

"Yeah. Again, why?" Jonah asked.

His senses lit up. Something new was approaching, faintly detected by his hearing. He turned and searched, instantly alert. A few seconds later R heard it too; vehicle engines. The boy tightened his grip on the weapon and jogged towards Koko. In his field of vision he saw that the others were all doing the same. When he reached her side he finally identified the location, in time with everyone else.

A black sedan was pulling up to the plane, a large canvased truck in green immediately behind it. It entered with seemingly zero concern for any kind of guards. Out of the corners of his eyes he noticed several of the soldiers retreating away, obviously in fear. A slight turn of his head showed that the captain was looking pale, with a thin sheen of fresh sweat on his brow. The car pulled right up to the small gathering and killed its engine, the truck parking a little distance away first.

At once all four doors of the car opened up, revealing four green uniformed men, while more of the same began to pour out of the back of the other truck. Jonah immediately saw the difference between these men and the base's soldiers; instead of digital camouflage, they wore a much older patchwork style. The red berets they wore only added to his unease. The one that came out the front passenger seat stride right up to the captain, who had all the blood drain from his features.

"Dumbass. Let our guest wander all over with no supervision? Who put you in charge?" the man berated. Sparing no time the new arrival brushed passed the officer and strode up to Koko. Everyone tensed.

"Miss Hekmatyr, glad to make your acquaintance. I'm glad I managed to catch you in time" he greeted in poor excuse of friendliness. She made a polite curtsy in response.

 _Baldra_ , she thought scathingly, none of her distaste showing.

"Mister Dragan Nicolaevich" Koko replied aloud. His eyes roamed over her, making all of her bodyguards bristle, especially Valmet. How she kept her composure was a mystery.

"I'll cut right to the point. I know you have something on board that plane that you're not supposed to have. Ten doctors to be specific. Hand them over to me and we will have no problems" he said with an uncomfortable smile. It couldn't escape his attention that all of the woman's bodyguards flicked the safety's of their weapons off. Upon seeing none of them budge the false smile was replaced by an angry frown.

"I don't like repeating myself. I know you have them stashed aboard. Now, unload them immediately!" Baldra shouted. Koko merely smiled.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Even if I did, the republic army is my client, not you. I am under no obligation to show you anything" she calmly replied. His face twisted in fury.

"You're really giving me lip? I can kill you bitch!' he threatened.

"You should give more thought to your actions. That plane is HCLI property. In effect, that is my kingdom. That one hundred twenty cubic meter hold is as inviolate as another nation sovereignty. You enter and leave by my word alone" she said peacefully, though the threat underneath was obvious.

Baldra fumed impotently in place, unable to reign in his anger. Suddenly he stepped away and stomped towards the captain, who was still standing aside at attention. Without warning he pulled the radio from his belt and hit the much older man across the face with it. The device shattered, yet somehow he stayed on his feet. Koko unconsciously let her jaw drop. She was no stranger to violence, but the act was enough to stun her. Baldra tossed the broken radio aside and marched away to the assembling gaggle of militia.

A nudge on his side made Jonah turn his head, showing Mao attaching a small device to his ear and gesturing for him to do the same. The tiny headset on his waist, which he had hardly realized he grabbed that morning, was swiftly put on as well. The captain walked back to Koko, his bruised and bleeding face beginning to swell. Oddly, he looked more remorseful than anything else.

"I apologize miss Hekmatyr. I was hoping we could avoid this" he said regretfully.

"Stop. You have nothing to apologize for captain. Honestly, why do you let him push you around like that? You're the official army, he's just a militia goon" she asked. He sighed, bringing a hand up to massage the back of his head.

"I would if I could. That infernal monster is a local hero though, real popular and all. And he grows more powerful every day. Its far too late to force him down" he answered sullenly. He sighed again, then straightened up his pose.

"I don't know what you have in that hold, and I don't want to. I've already ordered all my troops away, so you shouldn't have any more problems. And don't worry about the paperwork, I'll gladly take care of it" he said.

"Thank you captain" she replied. A low chuckle from behind them forced both of them around.

"Leaving so soon?" Baldra gloated.

At once dozens of rifles were raised, the red berets on one side, the bodyguards on the other. Better than half of the goons were by the ramp, kept away by R and Tojo. The tension on the air was almost palpable. Koko's smile didn't disappear, but one look at her eyes made the captain shakily step aside. She walked calmly, the click of her heels echoing uncomfortably loud. A quieter pair joined her however, and several of the militia had to force themselves not to stare at the strangely dressed girl that followed her.

"Baldra. Do you mind if I ask why the Balkan Dragons are pointing their weapons at my men?" Koko asked politely. The leader smirked, raising a small grey object from his side. A video camera.

"I said to unload your cargo. Since you refused, I am forced to do it myself" he said smugly.

"And the camera?" she asked. Baldra chuckled.

"I was planning on torturing a few of the doctors. Fond memories and all. Maybe I'll upload a few online, that kind of shit is popular. Now, I'm going to give you one last chance. Hand over the doctors, and I'll let you leave" he offered malignantly.

"You should reconsider doing something so rash" Koko said darkly.

Footsteps on metal caught both of their attentions. When Koko looked around, it took every once if her willpower to keep even part of her cool. For walking down the ramp, brushing past the dumbstruck Tojo and R, was the lead doctor. The blonde man showed no fear at the dozens of automatic rifles pointed in his direction, and despite the whispered pleas from the men he marched right up to Baldra. He pointedly ignored Koko's glare.

"Hello mister Nicolaevich. My name is Leon Riviere. I'm a doctor for ODH. My people and I came here because of my pressuring of miss Hekmatyr. If you don't mind, can I speak to you in private?" he asked fearlessly. Unnoticed, the girl by Koko's side gave him a quizzical look with a hint of respect. Baldra shrugged indifferently before showing a small grin.

"Of course mister Riviere" he agreed. He then drew the handgun from his hip and leveled at the shocked doctor. Without any warning he pulled the trigger. A spray of blood from the man's shoulder flew out, spattering on the tarmac a heartbeat before he collapsed with a muted cry. If the remaining weapons weren't raised before, they were now. The smoking weapon unerringly trailed the struggling man.

"You patch up my enemies. That makes you my enemy" Baldra said, sounding almost bored.

" _Stop_."

He looked over to Koko, noting that her smile was gone. It made him grin wryly.

"Why?" Baldra asked condescendingly.

"I was really hoping to avoid this. Honestly, I was. But you've forced my hand. Black Rock Shooter, do you wanna start?" she turned to ask. The oddly dressed girl beside her unfolded her arms and smirked. The warlord raised an eyebrow.

"What? The fuck kind of name is-" he never finished.

The girl raised her arm. Rippling multicolored lights came into being, forming indescribable patterns and black metal. Many of the militia swore, staring in awe at the amazing sight. Only when the final part clanked into place did it occur to the men what purpose of the sight served. It all fell into place when a second later a bolt shot out and hit the man to Baldra's left, killing him instantly.

The world exploded into gunfire. Nine rifles opened up at once, hot lead filling the air. A dozen men died in a few seconds, unable to even scream. Koko did what she was supposed to do under such circumstances; duck down to calmly retreat into the neatest available piece of cover, in this case the ramp. She discovered without much surprise the captain was already there, huddling down with his hands over his ears and muttering something. Seeing no real alternative she joined him.

Jonah had his FNC up, methodically picking off targets. For all their blustering, these men were posing very little challenge. A short burst was enough to eliminate them, one after another. From what he was hearing Lutz, R, and Tojo were treating it much more like a game, complete with cheering calls. Valmet and Lehm were more fixated on target removal, the former's choice of a LMG making much more sense to him now.

He spotted Black Rock Shooter sprinting towards the truck, where several of the militia were retreating back to, probably to flee. Taking just a moment to shoot one who had her in his sights, he began searching for new targets. A bullet whistled by uncomfortably close, allowing him to get a bead on a terrified looking soldier. Jonah shot him between the eyes, but spotted two someones crawling away.

A group of a dozen huddled behind the vehicle, scared out of their minds. A creak from above caught one's attention over the gunfire. He received a blue bolt in his face for looking. The man beside him got a boot instead. Black Rock Shooter swung her sword down, killing a third man in as many seconds. Another swing of the flat side of her cannon bowled over another, but she wasn't sure if it was fatal. It didn't matter too much though, there was no shortage of targets after all. A part of her judged it to be a good day.

Eighty feet away and gaining, Baldra was inclined to disagree. His day was going downhill at a frightening pace in contrast. Cursing, he shoved the stumbling man ahead of him. Blood freely dripped onto the asphalt as he forced them ahead. His black car was oddly untouched by the firefight, something he didn't dwell on. One of his flunkies was cowering behind the vehicle, watching the unfolding battle with wide eyes. He made a mental note to deal with his cowardice later, but at the moment all he cared about was getting away.

"Start the fucking car!" he shouted.

The man snapped his head over for a couple of agonizing seconds before he obeyed. He sprinted over to the driver's side and yanked the door open. Baldra was only a stone's throw away when the man jerked back, blood spraying out. Fearing the worst, he quickly turned around and forced his unwilling partner in front of him, his gun instead placed on the doctor's temple.

"Stay back!" he snarled. The one pointing the rifle at him paused, apparently unwilling to chance a shot. An hour earlier he would've dismissed the boy's presence (even though he assumed he was a soldier) but not now.

"Let him go" the boy said simply, with little trace of emotion in his tone. Pressed against him, Dr. Riviere mutedly groaned. Positioned as he was, it was impossible for the boy to shoot him without risking his life.

"Drop your weapon and I'll consider it" Baldra answered viciously. Hearing the gunfire beginning to taper off, he knew he had to hurry.

To his already frayed temper he didn't budge. Instead, he kept his attention focused solely on Baldra. He scowled, yet the boy kept the same blank expression, showing no emotion whatsoever. Someone shouted something, before a burst of gunfire cut them off. His eyes flickered to the left, hardly enough to notice. The man's scowl deepened considerably.

"You think I'm going to fall for that?" he snapped. The boy suddenly took one hand off his weapon to extend it outwards. He then snapped his fingers.

Baldra fully expected something to happen, but nothing did.

"Fuck you brat" he said, taking the gun away from the doctor's head to aim at the boy. Before he could pull the trigger his weapon exploded. Pain greater than he could ever remember engulfed his hand. His other arm, wrapped securely around the hostage, loosened up enough for the man to shove him away, leaving him exposed.

Staring with wide eyes, Baldra couldn't figure out what happened until he happened to look to the side, opposite of the snapping hand. One of the woman's bodyguards (the chinese man) had his own rifle trained squarely on him. He collapsed, his uninjured hand the only thing keeping him off of the asphalt.

Mao lowered his rifle and sent Jonah a thumb's up.

"Nice thinking" he complimented as well. Jonah shrugged, approaching the injured man with his weapon still trained on him. Meanwhile Mao slung his own rifle aside and went to help the doctor. He was clearly in pain, yet he apparently refused to let it stop him. His savior's hand was the only help he accepted to get back on his feet.

"You okay doc?" Mao asked.

"I'll live. Thanks" he replied. The two men glanced at the groaning warlord, who looked up at them with an expression that promised a painful death.

"You're dead. All of you are dead!" Baldra threatened. Both Mao and Jonah cupped a hand to their headsets, listening to something. After a few seconds they both nodded and stared back at him, the former stepping aside.

"I'd say we're sorry, but I'd be lying" Mao remarked. The doctor raised an eyebrow in confusion, only discovering what was about to happen when it was too late.

"NO!-' he screamed.

* _ **BANG**_ * * **BANG** *

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 **See, THIS is why I did the halfie chapter last time. Otherwise you'd be reading through 10k plus words. Gah, thats a pain. And I had to split it up again!**

 **Anyway, about the character playlist thing. I had a good, plot important reason for doing it, but since no one seems to be interested (Acidika and SilverstormXD notwithstanding) I think I'll be dropping it.**


	12. Chapter 12

Baldra screamed. A bullet whistled past Jonah a beat later. Both he and Mao snapped to the direction the second shot came from, discovering one remaining soldier clutching a pistol a short distance away. Before either could fire a blue bolt swatted him over, making him tumble over the ground to end up in a twisted knot of limbs. They both lowered their weapons while Riviere's expression wrinkled, completely at a loss.

A small and black being approached the fallen man with unnatural speed. It stopped just long enough to flash something shiny before it sped off again, this time towards the four. Mao waved an arm at it, apparently wanting it to come closer. As it did, the doctor realized it was the oddly dressed girl from the plane. Only now she wielded a small cannon in one hand and a sword in the other. He gasped; she was splattered with blood.

"Hey Rock. You alright?" Mao greeted casually. She shrugged, the weapons rising in sync.

"Thats good. We'll get you cleaned up in a bit, first we need to get both of these guys back to the plane" he explained. She nodded in agreement.

"Doctor Riviere, can you walk?" he turned to ask.

"Y-yeah. Did she..." he tried to speak. Despite his efforts, his eyes kept going back to the blood soaked girl. She gave him a funny look.

"Its impolite to stare" the boy reminded. He shook his head, putting his hand to his face when that wasn't enough. The act sucked a breath out of him, the pain reminding him of his injured shoulder.

"Okay. I'll carry mister dragon here, Jonah, Rock, keep a lookout. Help him if he needs it" Mao directed.

He walked to the grumbling warlord, kicking the gun away in the process. Bending over, he pulled a rag from his pocket to tie around the fresh wound on his leg, courtesy of Jonah. The snarl of pain was disregarded. Once he finished, he looked at his handiwork but discovered another problem. He stood up and sedately walked to the car to rummage around for something. Baldra sputtered in pain.

"What're doing? He's injured!" Riviere protested. Mao came back out with a roll of bandages.

"You're right. He also tried to kill me, kidnap slash torture you and your friends, and post the results online. Plus, you know, the whole genocide war criminal thing" he said casually.

"War criminal?" Jonah asked.

"Yeah, the Balkan Dragons are guilty of crimes against humanity, thanks to this dick" Baldra yelped as Mao tied the bandage around his injured hand "its why I'm taking my dear sweet time here. The doc here said all this on the plane" he explained.

"I was sleeping most of the flight" Jonah replied. Black Rock Shooter made an 'ah' expression.

"I see. Well, I think he's good for a minute. If he tries anything shoot the other leg" Mao ordered.

With a grunt he wrapped one of Baldra's arms (the one with the injured hand) around his shoulder and pulled him to his feet. Fortunately the leg Jonah shot was one the same side as the injured hand, allowing him to hobble along on one foot. The man was scowling deeply, but even he realized he was at a severe disadvantage. The boy stayed behind the two men, keeping his weapon not quite aimed at the latter's back. A tap by the flat edge of the girl's sword prompted the shocked doctor to start walking.

Bodies littered the airfield. Each corpse wore the splotched woodland camo, as well as a weapon lying nearby. Koko's men were clustered nearby the plane, apparently engaged in conversation. Riviere shakily swept his head around, scanning the field with a stunned eye. None of the three by him seemed fazed by the wanton slaughter. Only Baldra showed emotion: cold rage. Ugo saw them approaching and informed the others.

"Any casualties for you guys?" Koko asked them. With Jonah's help, they laid the injured warlord on the ground to be treated. A first aid kit was passed to them.

"Leon here is injured, but we're fine beyond that" Mao answered. The doctor in question saw that the injured militia leader drew more attention than the gory girl. Koko nodded and approached him.

"We'll get you patched up" she said simply, unsmiling. He sighed, taking a deep breath to collect his nerves.

"O-okay. Thank you for saving me miss Hekmatyr. Without you I would've-"

"You're a fucking idiot" she interrupted. At once everyone's eyes snapped to her; it was rare that she cursed like that.

"Excuse me?" Riviere asked in surprise.

"If you had stayed in the plane, I would've bluffed our way out of here without any problems. You and your friends back in there would've gotten to your safe house, I would've gotten out of here, and the worst that would've happened is this asshole throws a hissy fit" Koko explained, jabbing a thumb at Baldra, who grumbled irritably.

"I was trying to reason with him" he replied sharply.

"That was your first mistake. You reason with men, not beasts. Now, theres a large pile of corpses, my plane got shot up, and the captain over there is about to have a heart attack. You risked your life, my life, and the lives off all of my men. Not to mention the rest of your doctors" she retorted.

"So its wrong to be brave?" Riviere argued.

"When appropriate. The definition of bravery is someone who gets other people killed doctor" Koko answered, her own anger tightening her voice.

"Quoting movies won't change my mind" he retorted back.

Koko face palmed, grumbling unpleasant things under her breath.

"You know what? Screw it. Get your ass back in the plane and stay there" she commanded. Riviere scowled, but he did as told. When he was halfway up the ramp however, he stopped to look over his shoulder.

"Are you going to kill him?" he questioned sternly.

"I'm tempted. But no" she said back. He kept his eyes on her for a moment before walking back to the others.

"Now thats out of the way, are you alright?" Koko asked, turning to Baldra. While they were talking he had sat up to get treated. Two fresh bandages wrapped around both his hand and his leg, doing nothing for his deep scowl.

"If you do not let me go this instant, I will kill all of you. Slowly" he threatened slowly.

"I meant her actually" she corrected, gesturing above him. Black Rock Shooter was still coated in blood, but with how much time had passed it was starting to coagulate. Her nose wrinkled at the smell. Baldra looked behind in annoyance, his eyes quickly going wide at the sight.

"Captain, I apologize for inconveniencing you further, but is there a hose or something we can borrow?" she turned to ask. The man in question was hunched over, his hands clutching his head. A constant stream of fevered mumblings poured from his mouth.

"Captain?" she asked again. The man turned around, visibly trembling.

"You have no idea what you've done" he said hoarsely.

"I killed a bunch of goons who were threatening me. Now, I need you to get ahold of yourself" she stepped forward to place a hand on his shoulder. The act was enough to calm him down, if only a little.

"Now, I need you here. First, is there a water spigot or something I can use?" Koko asked cooly, retracting her hand. The captain emitted a ragged sigh.

"Over there, by the hangar" he said softly, pointing away.

"Thank you. Valmet, mind taking care of that?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Got it" the woman in question answered, taking off in a brisk walk with the bloody girl swiftly following.

"Good, are you feeling better now?" she asked him. He took a deep breath and nodded.

"Yes. You should leave now. You've caused enough trouble as is-" he happened to look at the group behind her, making his words suddenly vanish.

"AH! That fucking hurt!" Baldra shouted. With a half stumble he brushed passed Koko and her disapproving look, and walked right up to the scowling warlord.

"Colonel Nicolaevich, you're alive" he said breathlessly. Baldra looked up with something resembling relief.

"Captain. Good. Shoot them" he promptly ordered. What little color remaining in the man's face drained away.

"Sir?" the captain said in a near whimper. He didn't notice Lehm casually walking out of sight.

"You heard me dumbass. I am your superior officer, and I am ordering you to shoot these bastards" he said testily.

"But I..." the captain glanced around at the group which casually eliminated four times their number. His own sidearm looked absolutely puny in comparison.

"Do it. Or I swear by Christ that I'll have you against the wall" Baldra barked.

"I-I, ah-." * _Thwack_ *

The captain's body slumped, collapsing to the hard pavement. Wiley's timely intervention stopped his face from hitting it. He gently set the man down, looking up to Lehm behind him. The veteran made a visible effort out of readjusting the strap of his rifle back against his chest. A short second of consideration had him fiddle with the stock as well, where a new dent in the plastic now sat.

"He seemed like a nice guy. Didn't feel like shooting him" he said simply.

"Good call. If I may though" Wiley said. He grabbed a rag from the man's pocket and reached for his sidearm. For a moment it wasn't clear what he was doing, but after a few seconds they received an answer. Wrapping the captain's hand around the gun, he pointed the weapon away from the group and squeezed off three shots before gingerly setting it back on the ground.

"Now he can't say he didn't do anything" Wiley explained. Koko nodded in approval.

"Nice job. That leaves just one remaining problem: getting out of the country. Thoughts?" she asked the group. Out of the corner of her eye she saw both Valmet and Black Rock Shooter coming back, the latter soaked in water instead of blood. An ill timed breeze made her visibly shiver.

"You're not going anywhere" Baldra snarled.

"Jonah, shoot him" Koko ordered simply. Just swinging the barrel his way made the man shut up.

"By land?" Wiley asked, standing up.

"Not with the doctors in tow" R dismissed.

"Could steal one of their vehicles" Lutz suggested.

"No way, we stick out pretty bad" Valmet rebuked.

"We need a plan soon. I can bet that there'll be reinforcements swarming over this place shortly" Lehm reminded.

"Maybe not. We could use him for negotiation" Ugo suggested, jabbing a thumb at Baldra.

"No go. As far as they know, we killed everybody here. They'll be out for blood" Lehm reminded. Valmet put a hand to her chin in thought.

"What do they have for anti-aircraft?" she asked.

"Flak guns probably. If there's missiles I won't be surprised" Tojo said.

"Definitely missiles" Wiley agreed. Baldra looked to say something else, but one look at Jonah and he kept his mouth shut.

"We're not helpless. This bird has flares right?" Lutz asked.

"That trick won't work twice" Ugo corrected solemnly.

"Besides, what do we do after that?" R posed.

"Rock has a minigun. Could shoot them down" Tojo pointed out.

"Too small. We need something a lot bigger" Lehm dismissed, earning an irate glare from the girl.

Koko quietly sighed. The lack of viable options was starting to gnaw at her, though she kept it hidden from the others. Seeing her worried would shake their morale, one of the last things they needed at the moment. The thought of ditching the doctors crossed her mind for all of two seconds before she quashed it. Shaking her head, she realized that one voice was missing from the debate. Turning around, she saw that Mao had stepped away from the group. He was gazing at the artillery guns, miraculously untouched during the firefight.

"Mao, you've been pretty quiet. Do you have anything to contribute?" she asked. The man turned around and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

"Well...nah I got nothing" he said after a second of thought.

"Its not like we have any better ideas. C'mon, spit it out" she urged.

"Okay, um, I was thinking we could use one of these 122's to destroy the AA positions" he admitted. Koko's expression lit up.

"I love it" she said excitedly. Mao chuckled, then stopped as he realized her expression wasn't changing.

"You're serious" he stated disbelievingly. She nodded, a massive smirk taking hold.

"Sure am. Its just crazy enough to work. Now" she turned back to the group "listen up! We're taking one of the artillery guns for AA duty. Ugo, get us ready to take off. Jonah, keep mister Nicolaevich company there. Black Rock Shooter, drag the captain to one of those hangars over there. Everyone else, follow Mao's instructions. Lets hustle people!" Koko commanded.

"Yes ma'am!" the eclectic group chorused as one. Like a flock of birds they all took off in a sprint, all save one. Jonah kept the rifle close to the warlord, in the off chance he actually tried something. Fortunately he didn't, he merely sat in place and glared sullenly, muttering insults under his breath. His gaze tracked the oddly dressed girl as she dragged the unconscious captain (grabbing by his armpits rather than his feet) away from the growing chaos without much effort.

Koko nodded in satisfaction at the group. She walked back to the plane wearing a pleased smile. Mentally she was occupied with two things: remembering where the industrial strength duck tape was located, and the phone number to a certain someone that would hate to have her assistance. When she reached the ramp she had both. While she hunted for the tape, she pulled her phone from her pocket and began dialing.

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 _Two times zones away..._

The phone beeped. It was the insistent type of beeping that meant someone was waiting on the other line. The owner muttered a curse while he reached for it, accidentally knocking over a pile of papers. Another one followed that as he grasped the overbearing device. Wrinkling his nose at the smell of hot solder, the overworked man clicked the requisite button and put it to his ear.

"Scarecrow here" he answered duly.

"Oh whoops, wrong number" replied a cheeky female voice. At once his entire demeanor shifted to one of shock mixed with a great deal of fury.

"Hekmatyr!? How did you get this number!?" Scarecrow demanded, bolting out of his seat. A small part of him was glad he decided to go to the CIA office in London (with its soundproofed rooms). His partner glanced at him askance, the secondhand stereo she was working on briefly forgotten.

"Thats Koko right?" Schokolade asked.

 _When did they get so buddy-buddy?_ Scarecrow thought scornfully.

"Alright, what the hell do you want?" he demanded angrily.

"If you're going to be an ass, I'm going to hang up" Koko politely threatened. His scowl deepened.

"Fine. What is it?" he asked testily.

"Nothing much. Found this guy named Nicolaevich, decided to bring him along" she said airily.

"So you called me for-wait, did you say Nicolaevich? As in _Dragan Nicolaevich_? That balkan warlord thats on Interpool's most wanted?" Scarecrow said breathlessly.

"The one and only" she replied.

"That asshole has a five million dollar bounty. And you just caught him!?" he demanded in shock.

"Something like that. Now, I have a proposition for you" Koko posed, making his face harden.

"What?" he asked lowly.

"For as much fun as he is, I'm afraid I can't keep him. I'm willing to give you his coordinates" his features brightened "for five million" she offered.

"No way! There's no way in hell I'm giving a cent to a criminal like you" Scarecrow snarled. The phone clicked. He took the phone from his ear and glared at it.

"She hung up on me. What the hell?" he cursed, tumbling back in his chair. Just as he set it back another beeping sounded out, not from his. His eyes narrowed as he looked up to see Schokolade putting her own cell to her ear.

"Schokolade here. Hey Koko. Nah, just messing with a stereo, got it real cheap. Oh really? Nicolaevich, in the flesh. Shame, but I think its worth it for justice. Alright, sounds like a deal. Bye-bye, be safe" she clicked the phone off. Scarecrow groaned.

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Koko clicked her phone off, a smirk forming on her features. She went through her mental checklist of expenses versus income while she grabbed the industrial tape, the number very much in her favor already. The five million was in truth unnecessary, but for putting away Baldra (not to mention infuriating Scarecrow) she thought it well worth the trouble. She carried a smug smile all the way off the plane back to him, where she found Jonah still dutifully watching over him.

"Alright Dragan, its time to go" she greeted without preamble. He scowled.

"Fuck you bitch, it'll be a cold day in hell before I let you tie me up" he spat.

"Language Nicolaevich! Don't you know there's children here?" she exclaimed in mock outrage.

"Children? How many of my men did this little shit kill?" Baldra snarled, jabbing his injured hand at Jonah. Her smile lowered a notch.

"You do realize that if you had not acted like an idiot they would all be alive right now? You have no one to blame but yourself for this mess. Now lets get this over with" she explained cooly. He spat at her feet.

"Fuck you. You're not getting me on that plane" he declared with an air of finality. Koko looked up a few degrees, making her smile rise up the few millimeters it had lost.

"Alright. But you should know, I can be very persuasive" she said slyly.

"Oh yeah? Convince me" he challenged.

To his side, the boy suddenly took a few steps backwards. Baldra looked at him with annoyed curiosity, raising an eyebrow. The rifle didn't waver from him though, so he wasn't inclined to try anything. Glancing back to the infernal woman, she merely pointed behind him. Grumbling, he used his uninjured hand to help him turn around. His breath caught in his throat.

The bizarrely dressed girl, who had so casually murdered his aide and slaughtered his men, was standing just a few feet away, giving him an appraising eye. Her clothes were mostly dry, though it looked like her hair was still a little damp. Just a few minutes earlier she was soaked in blood, something he could still see all too easily. Upon seeing his look of horror she tilted her head to the side. He forced a gulp of air down and tried to put on an air of confidence.

"You think you can threaten me so easily?" Baldra managed to keep a stutter out of his voice. Koko tittered.

The girl raised an arm to point at him, then clenched her hand into a fist. Lights danced down her arm, reminding him of a concert show he saw in his teenage years. They formed black metal, swiftly assembling into the same cannon that killed a man right right in front of him. With one last clank it was complete, the end of the barrel mere inches from his face. By a supreme force of will Baldra kept from freaking out. When a blue glow began rising from the end however he finally lost it.

"Alright! Alright! I'll cooperate!" he shrieked, tumbling onto his back. To his immeasurable relief the girl lowered the weapon, the blue glow dissipating.

"Good boy" Koko said sadistically, yanking out a stretch of tape.

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 _Hours later..._

"All set?" Lehm called out from the tarmac. Wiley gave the support brace one last inspection before flashing a thumbs up. With the setting sun came a growing sense of urgency, the desire to get out as fast as humanly possible. There wasn't much time left until the rest of the Balkan Dragons converged on the airfield. They needed to leave as soon as possible.

"Alright, we're all set up. Lets get the hell out of here" Koko ordered through the radio. The few remaining outside the plane scurried aboard, the large engines already beginning to whine in preparation of starting.

Inside, the mixed group frantically took a seat to strap themselves in. Lutz was handing out hardhats (she wasn't sure what good they would do, or where they came from for that matter). She snagged one as she passed by him and made a beeline towards the cockpit. Sparing a glance backwards, she noted that Mao was the only one not taking a seat. Since the next act relied almost entirely on him, that was understandable. Once she was in there, she gave a simple order to Ugo and the HCLI captain.

"Take off."

By apparently an act of fate, Jonah ended up buckled in right next to Black Rock Shooter. Before he could relocate, the plane lurched in time with the engines. Looking out the open hatch past the large cannon, he could see the ground rolling away, faster and faster. Gravity tilted, with 'down' shifting several uncomfortable degrees backwards. It all meant that it was too late to change seats, leaving him stuck right next to someone he didn't want to be by.

"Lets hope hose old IR jammers still work" Lutz said grimly.

"Whatever you do, don't jinx it" R warned. In seconds his voice was nearly drowned out in the roar.

Since the artillery gun took up so much space, the ramp had to be left open. As a side effect, the wind whipped through the cabin. Jonah glanced the other direction, trying to not make it look like he was looking at the girl. Both the woman from earlier, Maggie, and the chief doctor were both in the cabin with the team. Each was strapped in tight, looking more than a little green with the turbulence. Maggie saw him and gave a weak smile.

Black Rock Shooter nudged him with her elbow. He ignored it the first time, as well as the second. The third time she put a noticeable amount of force into it, forcing him to turn his head her way. Her other hand had her phone out with the screen facing at him. A couple of seconds of reading made Jonah realize sourly that it was the same question as earlier.

 _You dont smile when kokos around, y?_

"This isn't the best time" he answered, trying to keep his voice loud enough to be heard but not so loud the others could hear. She brought her other arm up to type something else out while he watched.

 _Is there another time?_ He sighed, clenching his eyes shut.

"I'll tell you the whole thing later. Right now, just..." he gritted his teeth together. He was saved from answering by the unmistakable boom of an explosion, dangerously close. The plane rocked, sending loose debris flying. Something clinked off the floor before flying past the two. He heard Valmet curse.

"Whats the matter?" Koko demanded over the channel.

"Rock's gun. I forgot to give it back to her after she got cleaned up, and, um, it just fell out" Valmet admitted shamefully.

"Forget it. She didn't use the stupid thing anyway" she dismissed, uncharacteristically brief.

"You see, this is why I said Koko and flying don't mix" Lehm said vindictively, hanging on to his restraints for dear life.

"No kidding" Lutz muttered beside him. Valmet, sitting just a few seats away, glared at both of them.

"Its not Koko's fault we're being shot at" she shot.

"Yeah, but if anyone else was doing this we'd be in the clear already" Lehm calmly retorted. Her retort was cut off by the whip crack of flak shells streaming by.

In the cockpit, Koko gritted her own teeth as she hung on to both the pilot's seats.

"That was too close" Ugo muttered.

"Its been so long since those jammers were used, I wasn't sure they would actually work" the captain admitted, making both man and woman give him a hateful look.

"I really didn't need to know that" she muttered. A flash of something past the window grabbed her attention.

"AA fire. Doesn't look like they can lock on" the captain stated the obvious.

"Lets hope this is the best they-" Ugo was cut off by one of the panels sudden beeping. One glance at it made the blood drain from his face.

"Missile lock!" he barked.

"Fire off the flares!" Koko shrieked.

Jonah clenched his restraints hard enough to turn his knuckles white. When a series of concussive bumps rattled the plane, he initially thought they were hit. For all his self control, he couldn't help but gasp in fear. Reason asserted itself shortly, making him think. One look outside showed multiple yellow lights trailing smoke streaming out. Chaff flares, meant for disrupting missiles. He knew about them, but he had never seen them with his own eyes. Or that close.

An impulse he wasn't entirely sure of convinced him to peek back the other way. Black Rock Shooter looked utterly calm. No sign of fear or panic was in her features, nothing but cold acceptance. She noticed him looking and moved her head over a few degrees. Rather than a questioning or reproachful expression, she merely nodded before turning back to stare at the far wall.

Death was a wisp of air away, ready to claim him as well as everyone else aboard in a blink of an eye. But yet, all he could think about was how was she staying so calm. Never before did Jonah burn with curiosity as he did then. He had seen her fear before; Dubai, South Africa. Yet now, she had the same look in her eyes that he'd seen only a few times in his entire life.

As badly as he wanted to ask, the current situation demanded his full attention. Powerful explosions bloomed around the plane, buffeting the craft with sheer force. This was different than the ones before, which were most likely handheld launchers. These ones that turned the fading light outside bright white, and made a pitter patter of shrapnel bouncing off the hull. Jonah coldly realized that it was a near miss. The next one might not be.

The general channel crackled with Koko's voice, cold enough to freeze solid.

" **Do not** let them fire again" she ordered.

With all that had happened, Mao somehow stayed on his feet. The gun helped, being bolted directly to the floor per his instructions, giving him a good hold. Being right on the ramp gave him a bird's eye view of the spectacular landscape below him, as well as the locations of the barrage that came close to claiming his life. Skills long neglected returned to the forefront for his job. They had hauled three shells aboard, but he had no illusions; he was only going to get one shot.

Adjustment followed correction, fine tuning the weapon. The second most common misconception about artillery was that it fired indiscriminately, flattening a general area under a punishing barrage. He vehemently disagreed. Hitting a target with a gun the size of a car took a kind of mathematical precision that was more in line with a sculptor instead of a soldier. After one last tuning he removed the targeting equipment and twisted around.

"Everyone! Cover your ears and open your mouths! That means you too!" Mao shouted. He didn't need to identify who the last was. Everyone inside the cabin clamped their hands over their ears and opened their mouths up wide. Mao waited until everyone in sight did as told before he grabbed ahold of a lever.

"Three! Two! One!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. The second the one left his lips, he flipped the trigger lever.

The powerful boom resounded throughout the cabin, briefly making the entire AN-12 shudder. What little air in Jonah's lungs felt like it was rudely yanked out by the force of the blast, and it took every ounce of effort he could muster to keep his mouth open. Swiveling his eyes, he noted she was doing the same, yet someone she didn't look as strained.

The shell plummeted towards the ground, too small and far too fast to be tracked by the naked eye. The soldiers on the ground spotted the muzzle blast coming out of the rear; a few assumed the plane had been it, a few more figured they had launched some type of counter attack. In a minute's time it wouldn't matter who was right or wrong.

If the shell was a standard high explosive, Mao would've tried for a second shot, perhaps a third. But on the airfield, he took a peek at the container containing the ammunition. His grin was misinterpreted as enthusiasm for working with such big guns again. In truth, he was excited what kind of ammo they were using. He knew then that he was only going to need one shot.

Halfway to the ground, a small charge inside the shell bursted it apart, spilling its true payload. In seconds the air was filled with the wisp of falling steel darts, thousands in total, plummeting to the ground. The soldiers didn't have time to dive to cover before it began to rain death. Fifty six men were in range of the shell. In thirty seconds, fifty six bodies were scattered over a square kilometer, all impaled by short darts.

Other than the roar of the engines, the plane was silent. Mao was the only one in motion, grabbing a pair of binoculars to peer at the region. He was silent for several seconds, searching for activity. Letting out a short breath, he lowered the instrument and leaned over his shoulder with relief on his features.

"Direct hit confirmed. Targets destroyed" he announced. A cheer greeted his words, making him shyly grin.

In the cockpit Koko let out a breath she wasn't aware she was holding.

"That was close" the HCLI captain muttered. Inhaling deeply, Koko just nodded.

"Lehm was right. Lets stick to sea travel from now on" Ugo said.

"Yeah, lets do that. Screw aerial shipping" she muttered. Testing her limbs, she found them a little wobbly but otherwise functional. Thusly sure of her ability to walk on her own, she turned to check on their last passenger.

Baldra was still where she and Ugo left him earlier, in a foldable seat near where Black Rock Shooter sat for the flight in. She wasn't too surprised at him still being stationary, since they used more duck tape than what was truthfully necessary, not that she actually cared. His body was twitching in the maximum range that it could move, and his eyes were wide.

"Are you okay?" she asked him. A muffled grunt was his response, making her glad Ugo taped over his mouth.

"Glad to hear it. That was one dicy flight though. If your boys were using equipment that I sold them, you'd be strewn over a few dozen square miles. Thank god for small blessings eh?" she ribbed. His grunts grew louder a few degrees.

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 _Three hours later..._

Jonah looked up to the night sky. Above him, an endless ocean of stars was splayed, more distinct than he was accustomed to. He was reminded of the mission in South Africa, how the sky seemed clearer than anywhere else without lights or pollution to mar it. Though his formal education was near nonexistent, he knew that at one point there was once very few people in the world. He wondered if those early peoples once looked up to the sky as he did.

A pair of arms slithered over his back to encircle him. He did nothing to stop her; after such a long day, he understood that Koko would feel like cuddling with him. It was only a question of when. Her head nestled right next to his own, making him glad that he decided to leave his rifle aboard the plane. His sidearm was still on his belt though. He wouldn't take that off until they were finally out of the region.

"My my, what a day" she murmured.

"Yeah" he responded.

"Transporting by air was a real pain. Lets not do it again anytime soon, okay?" Koko asked him.

"That seems like a good idea" he answered.

"I just got off the phone with corporate. Guess what I found out" she said.

The sound of a crunching stick caught their attentions, making them both look away. Approaching the two was Black Rock Shooter, briskly making her way over to them. Though dark, there was still enough light to see easily. She eyed Koko, still draped over Jonah with no indication of leaving anytime soon, but if she thought it odd she made no outward sign of it. She stopped a couple feet away and pulled out her phone, typing something out before presenting it.

 _Area clear_ , it read.

"Great. I didn't think there would be anyone here, but it doesn't hurt to be sure" she said. She nodded, but stayed put. Koko huffed bemusedly.

"You wanna find out why today's events happened too?" she asked her. The girl nodded.

"ODH has been looking for someone to transport their people into this region for a while, but no one wanted to chance running into the local power groups, such as the Balkan Dragons. Four days ago, a direct line from HCLI called them to set up a deal, as in us" she explained. The girl tilted her head to the side, not understanding.

"The home office contacted these people to get them moved, not the other way around. They, and by they I mean he, knew we'd run into trouble" Koko went on.

 _Why?_ Black Rock Shooter asked. Jonah felt her sigh. He also felt her tense.

"Floyd Hekamtyr. He knew Baldra would try to stop us, knew that we would capture him, and that we would deliver him to justice" she explained softly.

"Is Floyd your brother?" Jonah asked her. She chuckled.

"My father" she said amusedly. He did a double take, while the girl raised an eyebrow.

"You ever wonder what HCLI stands for? It means Hekamatyr and Lyle Logistics Incorporated. I'm not just a successful businesswoman, I'm technically heir to the throne" Koko explained. The girl looked at her strangely, which she would've tended to if her phone hadn't begun ringing. She didn't get off of Jonah, allowing him to hear what was being said on the other end.

"Its done" Lehm said. He could feel Koko sigh happily.

"Excellent" she said, obviously pleased.

"Already sent the coordinates to Tojo too. Wiley had an idea too, you're going to get a kick out of this" he prompted.

"You guys broke his legs" she guessed. On the other end he chuckled.

"Nah, better. We made a forty foot by forty foot X, with him in the center" he answered, a most unprofessional giggle ending his sentence. The pale woman couldn't help but join in.

"Smartass" she teased.

"Hey, you wanted to make it easy for them to find the sonofabitch" he laughed. The line clicked, making her lower the phone, but not put it back.

 _Is it over?_ Black Rock Shooter's own screen read.

"Not yet. Just one more thing" Koko said. In seconds it began ringing again, bringing it back up.

"Yellow?" she greeted quizzically.

"Hekmatyr" growled the other end.

"Hi Scarecrow. How are you this fine evening?" she asked cordially. Jonah didn't need to see to know there was a massive smirk on her features.

"Can it. Where's Nicolaevich location?" the CIA agent demanded.

"First, have you reconsidered my offer?" she asked him. He was quite certain he could hear the man's teeth grinding through the line, but that could have been just static.

"Deal. The five mil is yours. Now, whats his coordinates?"' Scarecrow asked angrily. Koko raised her other arm high and waved her hand. Fifty feet away Tojo was bent over his computer, clicking the send icon when he saw the signal. Several more seconds passed before h responded.

"Got it. He's... _really_?" he said laconically.

"I was feeling generous" she said bemusedly.

"I swear to Christ I will put you away" he threatened.

"Pleasure doing business with you. Tell Schokolade I said hi" she replied, clicking the phone off, this time putting it back in her pocket. She muffled a groan as she finally left Jonah's shoulders.

"Once Lehm, Wiley, and Mao gets back we're off" she told Jonah before walking off to the small gaggle of doctors. Jonah watched her go, rubbing his aching shoulder for a moment. He was pointedly aware that the girl hadn't moved.

"I know" he said softly. She stepped forward a short distance, coming into his field of view wearing an expectant look.

"I'll tell you. But first, tell me something" he spoke to her. Her head tilted a few degrees.

"During the flight, when we were being shot at, you looked calm. I know you can be afraid. Why weren't you then?" he asked her.

She looked away, staring at nothing. Her half lidded eyes told him she was deep in thought, perhaps trying to plan how she was going to word her reason. Jonah waited patiently, willing to give her as much time as she needed. After a full minute she activated her phone to type out her statement, taking much longer than usual. Another minute went by before she finally flipped it around to present to him.

 _I could not control my fate_ , it read. Upon seeing his deeply confused expression she retracted it to type more.

 _Any other time I can change things. I can run or fight. Then I can b afraid. On the plain it was not me in control I could do no thing_ , she spoke by proxy.

"So, because you couldn't do anything about it, you decided you weren't afraid?" Jonah asked uncertainly. She nodded. His brow wrinkled in confusion.

"How do you do that?" he questioned, unable to keep some amazement out of his tone. She typed more.

 _I dont fear death. I fear failure. Are you afrad of death?_ the screen read.

"Yes. I'm always afraid. Every time, every where. I just don't give into the fear" he answered. Her head tilted again in curiosity, her hands already working again.

 _Your afraid all the time but press on anyway_ , the phone read.

"Yes. Once you give into fear, you have nothing" he said.

She had a strange look on her features. He couldn't decide if it was confusion, contempt, or just simple bemusement. She shook her head, apparently dispelling the thoughts. Just as well, the boy didn't like to explain his motivations. He was sure that his explanation came out wrong anyway. It didn't look like she minded though. Twisting her hand around to face the screen back to her, she danced her fingers across it once more. He knew what she was going to say.

The distant sound of an engine caught Jonah's attention. Coming over a hill were headlights, only a single pair. He relaxed a little once he identified the car; a local one that the three 'borrowed' to go deliver Baldra to the drop off point. Not until the car came to a stop and the three men exited did he exhale, hardly aware he was holding his breath. He started walking away, stopping long enough to turn back to the girl and her scowling expression.

"Time to go" he said simply before returning to his path. Black Rock Shooter forced herself to take a deep breath to sooth her temper. Walking after him, she promised herself she would get the truth out of him someday.

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 **A/N: Since no one has said anything (good or bad) about it, I've made up my mind. Consider the character playlist dropped.**

 **Only two or three chapters left for Lost in Transition folks. Prepare to cry _so much_.**


	13. Chapter 13

_Why did she leave the window open?_ Valmet asked herself.

The large curtains fluttered slightly with the breeze, swaying to the invisible tune of the wind. Just beyond, a serrated wall of cheap buildings underlined the haze of the Mediterranean sea. If she was on the other side of that sea, she wouldn't have been lost in her thoughts as much. Instead, she was in a hotel located in a small city in Egypt. On the same continent where she once lost everything.

"Any questions?" Koko suddenly asked, her face inches from hers. The one-eyed woman jerked back in surprise, an involuntary gasp escaping her. A brief spat of chuckles rippled across the room at her reaction.

"Oh Koko. Um, sorry. Just spaced out for a second" Valmet shyly admitted. The pale woman did as she always did: she smiled.

"I saw that. Figured you were bored out of your mind" she said casually. She retreated back to the head of the table, waving around a small manilla folder.

The party of eleven were in a conference room to discuss something, Valmet couldn't remember what it was. She knew there was a missile deal in the next week, but the details for that were already well planned out. Koko had apparently already explained it, but since she zoned out the conversation she was in the dark. Shaking the thoughts away, she made a mental note to ask one of the others about details.

"Thats all everybody" Valmet internally cursed "we'll get this squared away tomorrow then its on to the big one" Koko announced.

"Kay" they chorused. Valmet rose with the rest of them to stream out the door, hardly aware of Koko stopping Jonah and the girl for something. The knowledge she obtained a few days earlier from the CIA agent still sat at the forefront of her thoughts.

Unbeknownst to her, her plan was already being derailed before she even started it.

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 _Two hundred miles away..._

Lifting the cup, the haggard looking man tilted his head back to let the cola drain down his throat. The sugary bitter liquid coursed over his tongue and down his throat, where it would come back to bite him in ten minutes or so. He wanted some hard alcohol (mixed in preferably, though straight from the bottle would work just fine) but with his position there was no way he could indulge in it. Unless he wanted another 'incident' to occur.

"So, what're you guy's thoughts?" he said after a second of thought. His name was Dominique. Age: getting older. Occupation: assassination, occasionally kidnapping, and baby sitting his compadres. After nearly a decade of the life, he found himself wishing more and more often he had picked something else to do for a living. The fact that their operations were based out of a winnebago wore at him daily.

"Tough bunch" answered the muffled first, Grégoire. A beefy man, he wore a set of body armor and a head cover, the latter he only rarely took off. For reasons Dominique could never grasp, he did his job with a sizable set of bolt cutters, jaws of life they were nicknamed. His running theory was he liked the feeling of using them. That or he used them ironically.

"Yeah no shit. Where'd she even find these guys?" the last answered, her high pitched voice sharply contrasting with the men. Named Lilliane, she looked out of place with the killers with her fifteen years and blonde hair complete with purple highlights. Usually excitable, she gifted Dominique with her own special shade of headaches. Yet he could never justify getting rid of her, no many how problems she caused.

"I have no idea. Look at this" Dominique said, setting his cup down to grab a piece of paper. Scattered across the dinner table of the RV was a whole sheaf of papers, scattered around for the three assassins to look over. Not for the first time he found it somewhat odd the client provided such detailed dossiers on the target. He was grateful though, it always paid to know what they were up against.

"Delta Force. Finnish Rapid Deployment. These are some serious bastards" he said solemnly. Grégoire lifted up a couple papers of his own, somehow able to see through the tiny lenses of his mask.

"This ones a cop, anti terrorism unit. And this ones JSDF" he read aloud. Lilliane cocked her head to the side.

"Jay-es-dee-eff?" she repeated.

"Japanese Self Defense Force. Army basically" Dominique answered. Her eyes brightened.

"Wow boss, you're smart" she complimented. He waved it away.

"Yeah yeah. Alright, here's my plan. This Hekmatyr woman is too heavily protected to take on directly, so we'll have to spilt the job up into eleven parts, try to take down one at a time. We'll start with the weakest and work our way up from there. What?" he asked Grégoire, who had a single sheet of paper in front of him.

"This ones about blank" he said, handing it to Dominique. Scanning the page, he found that he was right. The pale girl in the photo had twin pigtails and some strange outfit, but what caught his eye was the information about her, or lack thereof.

"Name Blake R. Sauders. Age, approximately fourteen. Thats it. Theres a little question mark after the name too" he recited, mainly for Lilliane's benefit. The girl leaned over the tiny table to peer at the paper.

"She looks like a Hatsune Miku rip-off" she noted. Glancing up, she saw that Dominique was giving her a strange look.

"Say what now?" he asked.

"You know, that one digital singer I showed you a while back" she answered.

"Wait, that one anime dance thingy?" he asked again. Her nodding made his nose wrinkle.

"Ugh, why do you watch that? That shit rots your brain" he dismissed. She scowled.

"Fuck you, anime is great" Lilliane spat.

"It is. Though the newer stuff sucks" Grégoire chipped in. She shot him a glare as well.

"Like hell. Tokyo Ghoul was pretty cool, and One Punch Man was the shit" she exclaimed.

"Neither of those has anything on Evangelion or Fist of the North Star" he retorted.

Dominique slammed his hands on the table, silencing them both.

"You can argue about cartoons later" he sent a hostile glare at Lilliane to silence her "but for now, lets focus on the job. Now, who do you think we should target first?" he questioned. Both of them returned to the pile, studying furiously. He quietly sighed, debating with himself whether to broach the subject or not. After a boring minute he muttered "what the hell."

"Hey, sorry about that. This job just has me on edge" he apologized. Both of them waved it off.

"Its cool Dom" Grégoire replied.

"Yeah. Look, I want your guys's opinions. Last night, remember when I brought up that restaurant idea?" he asked.

"Yep. You'll run the register, Grégoire cooks, and I'll be a waitress" Lilliane proudly recalled.

"Exactly. Look, I was kinda thinking out loud then, but I've been giving it more thought. Do you guys wanna try it?" Dominique asked them. Despite yelling at them just minutes earlier, they both looked at him curiously.

"Just running a joint, no murders or anything?" Grégoire asked.

"Just a joint. Lets face it, there's no pot of gold at the end of this journey. Sooner or later its either prision or a box. We have enough to get a good start, hell, I could probably do it with just my share" he explained.

"I dunno. It sounds like it'll be pretty boring" Lilliane said uncertainly.

"If we have a steady income, we wouldn't have to scrape by so much. No more doctor visits for gunshots, no more hush money, some actual education, the works. Plus you would be able to buy those weeb trinkets you've had your eye on" Dominique dangled, making her eyes light up.

"Okay. Lets do it" she agreed.

"I'm in. What do we call the place?" Grégoire asked. Dominique smiled for the first time in weeks.

"Lets not get ahead of ourselves here. We'll ice this bitch first, the reward will put us really far ahead. Once this jobs done with, we're officially retired" he proclaimed to enthusiastic nods.

The RV's door rattled. All three assassins looked towards the door, utterly confused. Dominique leaned over to the window, seeing a figure standing outside. Whoever it was had a black coat over them, preventing him from seeing any details. Odd attire, considering the bright sunny day. He stood up and went to the door to tell them off, grabbing his pistol in case they gave him lip. Swinging the thin door open, he was fully prepared to give them a piece of his mind.

"What do you-huh? What the fuck are you supposed-" Dominique began to question. Grégoire and Lilliane heard a metallic swish sound. Something flew past their overworked leader to bounce off the wall with a wet smack before coming to a stop just by the table. They both leaned over the table to see what it could be.

It was Dominique's head, still wearing an expression of puzzlement.

" **DOMINIQUE**!" Lilliane shrieked, her face turning to one of shock.

"Grab your gun!" Grégoire shouted to her, already shoving his way forward. Thankfully her reflexes, honed from years of killing, made her scramble over the table to the back, where her trusty shotgun rested. Tears stung at the corner of her vision, but she didn't let that stop her.

Grégoire's bolt cutters lied just a few feet away, in case of an emergency. Like Lilliane, he was beginning to tear up as well. He forced his emotions down, not allowing them to impede him. The floor creaked as the killer entered the RV, Dominique's blood dripping from the weapon. He paused for all of a second at the bizarre appearance before he roared, charging forward with the cutters held high.

Faster than he could react, the being shot something out, stopping him in his tracks. His cry cut off, to be replaced by a wet gurgle. He let his head fall, noting with surprise the elongated blade sticking out of his chest. The killer twisted the blade and yanked it out of the hefty man, making Grégoire collapse to the floor, dead.

Lilliane frantically loaded her weapon, spitting out every curse she knew. Her shaking hands made her task much harder, her blurry vision not helping in the slightest. She heard Grégoire's death, but ignored it. There would be time to grieve later, but first they had to die. At last two shells were loaded, and she gave the pump a satisfying double clack. Promising to send the murderer to hell for the men, she swung around with the barrel held high.

The shotgun did not fire.

Lilliane froze. The end of the gun, shaking a little a few seconds earlier, began to tremble uncontrollably. Her triumphant expression melted into one of horror. For standing before her, over the body of her friend, was a monster out of the depths of her nightmares. The being noticed the girl's pause with something imitating surprise. It approached her, gently toeing around Grégoire's corpse. Shaking, the gun fell from her limp grasp. She began to hyperventilate in terror, unaware that her bladder had let go.

Memories long suppressed came back to her, of the blood curdling nightmares that plagued her as a child. Almost every night she awoke screaming, until her exasperated parents finally had enough. She was sent to a boarding school, where she earned the nickname 'the banshee'. It lasted until Dominique and Grégoire kidnapped her by accident (they were after another girl there). After the first night in their hands she stayed, the nightmare gone in their presence. She eventually joined them fully, the terror that haunted her becoming only a disquieting memory.

All of her fear came back to her at once. Her wobbly legs could no longer support her, making her collapse against a wall. It, in the guise of a young woman, looked right into her wild eyes as it bent over her, coming almost eye level with her. Strangled gasps escaped her throat while the monster raised raised one of its hands. Black claws came up to slowly run down her cheek, gently, almost tenderly. The being's face, ethereally in its beauty, looked right at her. It smiled.

Lilliane screamed.

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Jonah was having a bizarre dream. He was in a barren field, on his knees. The sky above him was pitch black, but powerful lights surrounded him. In front of him was Black Rock Shooter, on her knees as well. She was cut and bruised from innumerable minor injuries. She looked up, an expression he couldn't identify on her features. Relief? Regret? Happiness? Her hand floated up to his shoulder, then suddenly she began to shake him. Scrunching up his brow, he could figure out what was happening-

Jonah's eyes snapped open, the gun in his hands already flying up. A powerful grasp seized his hand, for a second making him panic. He was distantly aware that there was another hand on his shoulder, shaking him repeatedly. Blinking, he realized with a start that Black Rock Shooter was crouched down in front of him, and she was the one doing that to him.

Upon seeing him awake she retracted both of her limbs. He relaxed slightly, confusion rising at her actions. He opened his mouth to ask her, but her hand shot up with one finger extended in front of her mouth, the cue for silence. He obeyed, though his questioning expression remained. Her other hand went for her phone, and in a single quick sequence she lit the screen up to show him.

Jonah read the message, already written out beforehand. He nodded, making her put it back in her pocket. She rose back to her feet and beckoned him to follow. Instead, he put of a finger of his own and dashed across the room. Underneath a chair was a small satchel bag he prepared hours earlier. Snatching it, he paused just long enough to make sure his wallet was in place before he looked back to her and nodded. His boots were already on before he went to sleep.

Moving at her hurried pace, she threw the door open to run out. He rushed after her, stuffing the gun in the pack on the way. Noting immediately that she wasn't going for the stairs, he worried that they were already too late. She learned from her mistakes before, sliding the simple pane of glass open rather than jumping through it. Sending a reproachful look at Jonah's slow pace (in comparison to hers) she slid out. He hesitated for just a second before joining her.

Outside, he was grateful that Koko decided to pick a low floor to room in. The thirty foot fall was much less imposing than the sixty plus she normally went for, and with another building close enough to touch the drop was more like ten. He still grunted in muffled pain at the landing, needing a second to regain his bearings before moving on. Black Rock Shooter was already by the far ledge, right by the street. Ignoring a flash of resentment, he got up to jog to the edge.

Crouching beside her, he saw a small bus was idling by the curb, the driver speaking to a woman by the side. Jonah needed a moment to realize it was Valmet. In the few hours since he saw her last she apparently cut her hair. Whatever it was the two were talking about, they didn't have long to finish. The girl shrugged at his questioning glance.

Searching for anything he could use, he realized there was a ladder on the back. Nudging her with his elbow, he pointed at the fixture. She looked at him excitedly. Leaning over the ledge, he widened his eyes at the twenty foot distance. Instead of hesitating like him, Black Rock Shooter jumped down, landing in a crouch. A twitch of satisfaction crossed him as he saw her visibly cringe in pain.

"Here goes nothing" he murmured to himself.

He jumped. Every trick he knew of to deal with high falls came back to him, even though he doubted they could help. Just a few beats of his heart passed before he hit the ground. His legs folded to take the impact, what little good it did. Excruciating agony shot up his legs, coursing throughout his body. Unable to stop himself, he gasped in pain.

Hesitantly he opened his eyes, checking his legs. They appeared fine, but without testing them he had no idea of any of his bones were broken or not. If there were, he could safely count himself out of the mission. Gritting his teeth, he planted a hand on the ground to steady himself. Experimentally he put a little bit of pressure on them, getting the results he expected: hurting badly.

Sucking in a breath, he forced himself up. Rising slowly, he felt someone's presence in front of him. Black Rock Shooter stood a foot away from him, one of her hands outstretched. Jonah found the gesture odd, but didn't have enough will left to really complain. Clasping her hand, she pulled him to his feet easily. The pain in his legs was another matter, though after analyzing them he was sure nothing was broken.

Glancing back at the bus, he saw Valmet and the driver walking towards the door. Cringing, he half ran-half hobbled to the vehicle. The girl crossed the distance in the blink of an eye, taking a spot on the back without difficulty. Jonah grabbed ahold just as the bus began to move, heaving himself on with what felt like a herculean effort. He grunted and held on as the speed increased.

The hotel, and soon the city, passed away in a blur. Checking the girl, he found her as comfortable as could be undef the circumstances. He on the other hand was hanging on a small ladder on a bus that was doing sixty miles or more, with no protection beyond his clothes. One slip would see him meet the pavement face first going faster than any human had the right to go naturally. He hoped he had a careful driver.

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 _A thousand miles away..._

Guoming Chen stared into the distance. In all but one direction, there was mountainous desert, bereft of even a hint of green vegetation. Only one thing broke the endless waste, the dull grey natural gas refinery owned and operated by the Daxinghai trading company. Just a kilometer away, it didn't look like much. But he saw more than just a simple set of buildings, he saw the imposing monument to his country's growing power. The sign that his beloved nation was finally beginning to claim its status as a power to be reckoned with.

 _Which makes this all the more painful_ , he thought sadly. On a ragged hill overlooking the refinery, the sun beat down on two other heads. The first stood a few feet away, fixated with watery eyes at Chen. The second was a couple of paces behind him, watching impatiently. None of the three wore uniforms, just airy clothes suited for the weather. Not for the first time he mentally frowned at the attire.

"General, please. I know I don't deserve another chance, but please, I beg of you" the woman pleaded. Rather pretty, but with cold eyes. Normally anyhow; at present it was her indomitable discipline alone that was keeping her from bursting into tears.

"Its Executive Director Karen. Despite all the wars that have happened in this land, people are sensitive to any military terms" the old man corrected in a neutral tone, none of his emotion reaching his voice.

Karen Low, former first lieutenant of the People's Liberation Army and his greatest pupil, quickly kowtowed to the ground once more, all but begging for forgiveness.

"I said this before Karen. Your failures do not bother me. The fact that Hekmatyr was able to defeat us twice does not reflect on you. I've known you for a long time, I know full well what would be needed to accomplish this" Chen explained. He sighed, the breath traveling via his nostrils to prevent it from being obvious.

"But-" she protested.

"On paper, you have been discharged from the PLA and work as my civilian bodyguard. As Director, I nominally have carte blanch for Daxinghai operations in Africa. But the central committee retains overall control of our company. They learned of the deaths of your unit, despite my best efforts. They insisted I let you go" he explained. The man behind him lifted the corners of his mouth, knowing what was next.

"I swore an oath to serve my country until my dying breath. They are in effect, its voice. I have to do this" he said as blandly as possible.

Though her face was pointed towards the ground, Chen could see muscle spasms wrack her entire body. Any fool could see the emotions roiling within her, barely contained. But he saw more than that. His most loyal soldier, who had devoted her life to his, was essentially being told to leave and never return. By the one she looked up to more than anyone else in the world, no less. He stubbornly kept his gaze on the refinery.

Her twitching hand grasped his forearm. His cane shifted a few millimeters, but no more. If the woman wanted to, she could've broke his arm. He could feel the raw strength in her hold, strong enough to snap a target's neck like a twig without a second's delay. Only a fraction of that strength was being applied. He knew that the thought of harming him had never crossed her mind.

"I will do anything. Please, just let me stay by your side" the merciless killer on the ground looked at him with pleading eyes. He didn't return the gaze.

The man behind him decided to step in. He walked up to her and proceeded to pull her arm off of Chen, then shoved it back using far force than was needed. Karen tumbled, unable to keep her balance, landing on her back. Some dry dirt came up from the landing, leaving a new coat of grime to her sweaty clothes. Wiping away a smudge on her cheek, she glared at the assailant. He gave a reserved smirk back.

"It seems you slipped. My apologies" the man said without even a hint of regret.

"Li? Damn you, how dare you do that to your superior" she growled.

"Wrong. I've been promoted to lieutenant to replace you Low. You are now my subordinate. There will be a new unit to protect the Executive Director formed under my command" LI explained in a matter of fact tone, but the gloating underneath was as plain as day.

"Like you could do better!" Karen snarled.

"I already have. Look at you, on your hands and knees begging for forgiveness like some foolish missionary" he insulted.

"Thats enough" was all Chen said. Both man and woman went silent, once allies, now enemies. The latter rose to her feet, absently brushing away some dirt. Standing ramrod straight, she gave a perfect salute to the old man, heedless of his earlier command.

"General" she said with as much dignity as she could muster. He replied with a perfunctory wave.

The woman stomped off, likely to go clean herself up. Chen and Li watched her go, the former's heart straining to keep together. He regretted not returning the salute in the same fashion, even though he knew just how hard it was on him. Karen deserved that much for all her years of loyal service, yet he was barred from even doing that. He looked back towards the refinery, knowing that Li was smirking.

"Keep a few eyes on her, make sure she doesn't do anything rash" Chen ordered to Li.

"Consider it done sir" he answered promptly. His new assistant waited for a moment before clearing his throat.

"Executive Director, may I ask a question?" he asked humbly.

"Go ahead" Chen replied.

"How long will it be before she is recalled to China?" Li asked.

"She won't. Karen is still employed by Daxinghai, she is simply no longer my assistant." he answered. The man did a double take.

"B-but why? Her report shows she's clearly mentally incompetent. A girl with a sword, hogwash. Why the committee would-" he started.

"I omitted that portion of the report" Chen interrupted. He knew without looking that he was looking at him bafflingly, so he began to talk.

"You think lowly of Karen, but I've known her for a long time. If she claims there was a sword wielding girl that killed several of her men, then I believe her. In her best interest, the committee should not find out about that" he explained.

"B-but thats-" Li protested.

"I am the Executive Director of Daxinghai operations in Africa. I have carte blanche so long as it is beneficial to China. You would do well to remember that Li" Chen stated calmly. The man gulped and nodded.

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Valmet stepped off the bus, spinning around once her feet touched the dirt to wave at the driver. He waved back, closing the door at the same time. The vehicle's diesel engine spin up, increasing its speed from stationary to mobile, going faster by the second. She watched it go, the taillights fading away with the engine. Just one minutes time and it was just a shrinking speck in the distance.

She started walking, dragging a map out of her pocket. Since dawn was just breaking, she had enough light to see by. Gingerly unfolding it, she scanned the thick paper for the ninth time since she left. At that point it was about memorized, her route planned out in detail. The woman's mind was elsewhere, focused on other matters. But that did not mean that her instincts were idle. The sound of crunching gravel made her snap around with her hand going for her gun.

"Hi" Jonah greeted blandly. Beside him, Black Rock Shooter waved at her, though she was shivering. Her jaw drop in shock.

"W-what're two doing here!? How did you get here!?" Valmet demanded. The girl answered by pointing at the vanished bus.

"We tailed you hear by hitching a ride" he elaborated. Her eye went wide.

"But-but why!? You should be at the hotel!" she exclaimed. The girl drew her phone to present the screen.

 _Koko said to keep an eye on you_ , it read. She scolded.

"Both of you go back. Now" she ordered.

When neither moved, she strode forward to deliver a light punch to Jonah, knocking him to the ground. In turn Black Rock Shooter swept a kick at her legs, making her fall as well. Grunting in muffled pain, she started to force herself back up. The point of a silvery blade inches from her face stopped that action. The girl was expressionless, the sword wavering a little with her shivering. Jonah pulled himself back up, dusting himself off before facing her once more.

"Earlier Koko told us to watch you in case something happened, and to follow you if you left" he answered plainly. He glanced at Black Rock Shooter, who lowered the sword.

"This doesn't affect you" Valmet replied coldly.

"It does. Listen to me" he interrupted her, making her close her opening mouth.

"We're a team. When I first met you I saw the doubt in your eye. All of you. None of you wanted a child soldier working alongside you, protecting Koko. Yet you changed. I became more than just that thing the boss picked up. I became one of you, a part of this special group. Someone you would trust with your life when the bullets started to fly" the boy lectured. He paused for breath to continue.

"I saw the look in your eye earlier. You left earlier with no intention of returning, alive or dead. I trusted you just as you trusted me. There was no way I was going let you go like that without doing something" he finished. Valmet chuckled drily.

"Elegant. Never figured you were the white knight type. I don't know you at all, do I?" she asked rhetorically. Turning to the girl, she asked "and whats your excuse?" Black Rock Shooter's fingers moved in a blur, typing something out to show her.

 _Becauze I chose to_. Valmet smiled grimly.

"Nice and simple. Must be nice when things are like that" she said. The girl typed.

Yes. I can undrstand this much bettr than the normal stuff. I will help you as much as i can, she spoke by proxy. Jonah walked closer to stick out a hand. Staring at it for a moment, Valmet quietly sighed, grabbing it firmly. The boy grunted in effort as he helped her up.

"We're with you every step of the way" he said once she was on her feet. Dusting herself off, she smiled.

"I should've figured. Oh well. Theres a town a few miles away. Lets get you washed up and grab some food. Sound good?" Valmet asked, to the reserved nod of one and the enthusiastic nodding of the other.

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On the roof of the hotel, Koko leaned over the railing. The sun blazed in the early morning sky, promising that the already sweltering temperture would rise even higher. She wasn't concerned about that, later she would, but not now. To her ear was her satilite phone, insistently trying to connect to the other end. After almost a full minute she was tempted to try again, but right before she did the other end clicked.

"Hello?" asked the female voice on the other end.

"Schokolade. Its Koko" the pale woman greeted simply. Unusually, she wasn't smiling.

"Oh hey Koko. Whats up?" the blond asked.

"Need to talk to you about something important. You got a few?" Koko asked back.

"Sure, what do you need?" Schokolade offered.

"Did Valmet get in touch with you recently?" she asked without preamble.

"Uh, yeah, yesterday. Erm, I'm not sure if I should tell you this or not" she said guardedly.

"Its fine" she reassured.

"Okay. Well, like I said she called me yesterday. Not sure where she got the number, from you maybe. Anyway, she wanted information about somebody" Schokolade answered.

"Would that person happen to be one Guoming Chen?" Koko posed. The woman gasped.

"Yeah! How'd you guess?" she asked.

"An assumption. What'd she wanna know?" she questioned back.

"His history. I dug up what I could about that guy, and let me tell you, he's one scary dude" she said.

"He's old. What does she want with him?" Koko asked, partly to herself.

"Yeah, early fifties old" she added, making the pale woman do a double take.

"Early fifties? I had him pegged for late sixties at the earliest" she said disbelievingly.

"Funny story about that. Chen mustered out of the PLA a long time ago and took up wetwork operations for China's interests in Africa. Apparently he was a real badass, taking on whole squads by himself with just dual pistols with bayonets attached. But a few years ago he stepped on a landmine. It crippled him" Schokolade explained.

"I see..." Koko murmured to herself.

"For some people, going through a traumatic event like that can age them real bad. He looks so old because of that" she went on.

"So, why was Valmet so interested in him?" Koko asked, though she had a sinking feeling of what it could be.

"There's not much solid info about the guy. Scarecrow was dead set on him until he found out everything he did was legal, after that he stopped caring. He covers his tracks well" Schokolade said guardedly. Koko waited, hearing a sigh on the other end.

"I told Valmet that I was mostly sure he was in Africa about eight years ago. When that UN mission was in that region. Nothing a hundred percent, but I'm mostly sure he went after a squad of Finnish RDF while he was there. You probably know which one. And that his current base of operations is this place called Fánróng refinery. Its only a few hundred miles from where you guys are" she admitted.

"Wealth. Appropriate I guess. Thanks for your time" she said softly.

"One more thing" Koko paused "She said something else before she hung up. She said 'thanks to Koko I was able to unlock the world.' Weird" she commented. Koko sighed once more.

"Thanks" she said lowly.

"So, you're not mad?" Schokolade asked hesitantly.

"Why would I be mad?" Koko asked back.

"Well, you wouldn't be calling me if nothing bad happened" she said carefully. Koko smiled wearily.

"Something did. But its not your fault" she assured. She heard the roof door open. Spying out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lehm exit with a smoke in his mouth. He stayed a short distance away, waiting.

"Oh okay. I was worried for a second" she admitted.

"No need. I'll call you again in the next few days to tell you how it went. Later" Koko said, finally clicking the phone off. Lehm approached her, smiling in his own easygoing way.

"Whats the matter?" he asked. Koko's glum expression told him far more than her silence.

"You knew this day was coming. Sooner or later her past would catch up with her" Lehm said.

"I know" she replied darkly.

"All we can do is wait and hope for the best" he said sagely. Koko gripped the railing and scowled.

"Where's Jonah?" she snapped. As of on cue the door swung open, all the men clustered in the tiny stairwell.

"Bad news Koko. We cant find Jonah anywhere" R reported nervously. She swung her head their way, baring a hateful look that made the hardened veterans cringe.

"And Black Rock Shooters missing too" Mao added apprehensively.

"You lost her _again_?" she demanded.

"Don't worry, we'll-wait, what?" Tojo stumbled. Koko began to stomp towards the assembly, her scowl deepening.

"I'm sure they're fine-" Wiley added, clearly frightened. Koko crouched down and leaped.

"We have a transaction with the mafia later! Get back to work!" she shouted, drop kicking the nearest one (who happened to be R). Cries of pain rang put as the boss took out her frustration. Lehm chuckled, letting his head fall back to stare at the sky.

"You better get back in one piece" he said quietly.

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 _Several hundred miles away..._

The Finnish woman found herself pleasantly surprised. Small towns, especially in regions like Northern Africa, tended to distrust foreigners. Instead of a cold welcome, everywhere the party of three went was accommodating to them. She noticed distrusting glances in the streets, but no one attempted anything. Her idea was that the locals recognized soldiers when they saw them, and the group had that particular vibe.

In the restaurant they were in, the food didn't look entirely healthy, but neither did it look outright disgusting. At the cheap price, Valmet couldn't really complain. She carried two bowls of soup to the table the children were sitting at, noting that they were the only ones in at that time. Between the morning and noon tended to be slow, if the place's appearance was anything to go by. Setting the bowls down in front of them (noting as well they were sitting across from each other) she waited for the inevitable question.

"Where's yours?" Jonah asked her. Black Rock Shooter gave the reddish green liquid in the bowl a curious stare, cocking her head to the side.

"Only got two arms. Eat up, I'll be back in a second" she said. Her eye lingered on the girl for a moment, who was trying to puzzle out the proper etiquette for eating the stuff.

"Black Rock Shooter" internally she found the words cumbersome, but resolved to use her full name anyway "do you know how to actually eat soup?" Valmet asked. The girl lightly shook her head. She smiled patiently.

"You use the spoon. Thats that shovel looking thing there. Once its low enough you can just pick it up, but remember, its hot" she explained. The girl didn't look entirely comfortable with being talked to like a simpleton, yet she nodded anyway.

"Just watch Jonah" she waved a hand at the boy, who was lifting his own utensil up to his lips. She turned around to head back to the counter, listening to the sucking sound as he ate it. Making only a couple of steps away, Valmet stopped again when Jonah asked:

"Did you put anything in this?" Her heart skipped a beat. She turned back around and leveled her most gentle smile at him.

"It looked like it needed a bit of salt. Was I wrong?" Valmet asked him. The girl had her own spoon halfway up when it stopped, her own curious expression being sent her way.

"No, its good. Powered sleeping pills have a good aftertaste" he said casually. Her face froze.

"Excuse me?" she asked strangely. He set the spoon to the side, Black Rock Shooter following suit a moment later.

"You were at the counter a little too long. Standing in the way from here too" he said. Her cracking smile twitched uncomfortably.

"Jonah, you know its rude to make accusations" she said sweetly, through clenched teeth. Black Rock Shooter gave the bowl a suspicious glare, pushing it aside.

"Like it or not, we're coming with you. Try to stop us all you want, it won't change anything" Jonah said defiantly. Valmet sucked in a breath, then expelled it raggedly, letting her head and shoulders drop.

"Should've known you'd be on to me" she said quietly. She looked back up, giving a tired smile.

"Sorry. I just...I didn't want to involve either of you in this. This is my problem" she explained tiredly. Black Rock Shooter showed her the phone.

 _Its okay._

"Thanks" she said softly. Five minutes later she returned with three fresh bowls. The girl still had a suspicious look on her face, which Valmet replied with a shaken head.

"Only thing in there is what the cook made. Promise" she reassured, taking a seat. She didn't entirely trust her still, but the girl did take a spoonful to taste. Sipping carefully, she paused to give it a raised eyebrow.

"Whats the matter?" Jonah asked, pointedly refraining from touching his own soup. She had her phone out to write.

 _Tastes weird_ , it read.

"You've never tried this before, have you?" Valmet asked. The girl shook her head, quckly typing out another sentence.

 _Not bad tho_ , she added. Valmet nodded, smiling.

"So, what's the plan?" Jonah asked her. She turned to him and sighed.

"As far as I know, the place is a fortress. But I have an idea. For starters..." as she laid out her plan, Black Rock Shooter continued to devour the soup, listening intently all the while.

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 **A/N: Note: Black Rock Shooter's texts are misspelled intentionally by me. She doesn't care much for grammar. Also, if you liked this, leave a review. Or two. Or a dozen. NOTICE ME INTERNET BWUHUHU *cries in a corner***


	14. Chapter 14

_Alexandria, that evening..._

If there was one word that Koko would chose to describe her feelings on the current deal, it would be _Mistake_. An error of judgement, a lapse of thought. She realized this when the three trucks full of small arms met their counterparts in a barren stretch outside the glittering city late at night. Not just because of who they were going to, but what they were most likely going to do. What she hoped they wouldn't do.

The pale arms dealer stared impassively at the flunky of the mob boss, who was displaying the contents of a suitcase to her. Though the light was faint, she could easily see inside. Plastic bags filled with white powdery substance, each one a small rectangle the size of a small brick. A quick estimate placed the number of bags at twenty five, and out of the corner of her vision she spotted at least a half dozen more similarly sized suitcases.

"All of it is pure uncut. Sell it right and you could make more than we agreed on" the leader offered, speaking like he just stepped out of an old gangster movie.

"I want to ask you something" she said neutrally. Around her, the seven men made it seem like they were shifting their weight in boredom, each one subtly going for their weapons. The closest one, R, inched closer.

"Go ahead miss Hekamtyr" the mob boss said, not picking up on the growing hostility.

"When you called me to set up this deal, what was the one thing I specified?" she asked, plucking a single bag from the suitcase.

"You said cash only. But believe me, you can make much more this way" the boss said. Koko grabbed a small knife out of her pocket, brought along just for this eventuality.

"Thats right" she said, flipping the blade open and swiping it across the bag, cutting it wide open. Several of the mobsters cursed, watching the expensive drug pour onto the ground. Koko smiled coldly.

"Cash only" she repeated. In one smooth motion she grabbed the sidearm from R to bring his weapon to the boss's face, pulling the trigger.

The H&K USP kicked in her hand, doing far more damage to him than her. Her hand felt strained; his head erupted in a shower of blood and bone. The shock of seeing their leader's death stunned the mafia for several crucial seconds, giving all of her men more than enough time to start shooting themselves. R quickly took the gun back, opening fire immediately. Ugo wrapped his massive arms around her, protecting her using his own bulk.

As the bullets whistled through the air, killing mobster after mobster, Koko waited patiently. Her features were still neutral despite just shooting someone herself. She felt no pity for the gangsters, nor did she feel any remorse for her actions. As far as she was concerned, it was no different from putting pesticide on an infestation. It was their fault, she carried no responsibility for killing them.

Soon, the gunfire tapered off. The reports from her own men's weapons (she recognized them as well as their own voices) slowed down, the other side's weapons ceasing entirely. Only a few more gunshots echoed out, from ad-hoc executions on surviving mobsters. One more echoed out, bringing on the ringing silence that always accompanied a gunfight. An attempt to derive some humor from the thought of what just happened being considered a fight failed to have a reaction.

"All hostiles down Koko. What do we do now?' Lutz reported. Ugo released her, noting at once the displeased look on her features. She looked over the scattered corpses contemptuously.

"What we usually do to idiots who try paying in drugs" she ordered drily.

Koko walked away from the slaughter, stopping a short distance away. Behind her, the men retrieved shovels from the back of the lead truck, placed there for this eventuality as well. The sound of scraping metal on dirt filled the air, the process to create shallow graves. It was dirty work, but none of them raised a word of protest. More than a couple sent glances her way.

"Somethings up with the boss" R remarked, grunting from exertion.

"Nothings up, this is the normal her" Lutz chastised. He sent the blonde man a disapproving look.

"Pulling the trigger herself? Thats not normal" he said.

"I have to side with R for this one" Mao piped in. Lutz stopped to glare at the italian.

"What would you do? Take the shit? We're not drug dealers" he declared. Both men stared each other down, only putting an end to it when Wiley stepped between them, carrying four of the suitcases. Muffling a grunt he tossed them in the pile with the bodies, glancing at both of them in turn.

"C'mon, sooner we get done the sooner we can get outta here" he said simply, going back for what remained.

Footsteps came up to Koko, halting an arms length away.

"What?" she snapped.

"The boss should always be smiling. I'm pretty sure that's how the promise went" Lehm remarked.

"Not all promises can be kept" she said darkly. He chuckled.

"I said that myself, way back when" he commented. Lighting a smoke, he looked at her more seriously.

"You're worried that they're not coming back" he stated. She scowled, immaterial of his ability to see her expression.

"Don't deny it, you're a bad liar when you get pissed" he said in advance of her retort.

"Go help them" Koko ordered testily. He took a long drag of his cigarette, blowing the cloud of smoke out.

"You shouldn't look so concerned. The job of any commander is to be a standard for your men to look up to. You start acting off like this, they get doubts. Next thing you know someone's in the morgue" he lectured her.

"I know" she mumbled moodily.

"Smile Koko. Before you have another Echo on your conscience" he said. Ignoring her stiffening body, he turned around to rejoin the effort.

She exhaled slowly, staring into nothing. Feelings she wasn't comfortable with rumbled within her. Contrary to her aloof persona, she cared deeply for all of her men. Knowing that three of them were out on a dangerous task which not all, or even any of them, might return stung at her. Black Rock Shooter, the bizarre girl she took in at a whim. Jonah, who she accepted from Kaspar under a good recommendation. And Valmet, one of her first bodyguards.

It took her some time to realize her thoughts kept drifting back to her. She was worried sick over all three, yet the the two youngest members well being kept coming secondary to hers. It was ridiculous of course; out of all three it was her that would be most likely to return intact. Tearful, injured, but alive. She should have been the one Koko would be least concerned with. With them in tow per her command, she should have no problems.

A flicker of movement caught her attention, making her turn her head. A small red fox was sitting on its haunches twenty feet away from her, staring intently at her.

"What? Are you going to judge me too?" Koko snapped at it. The tiny animal scratched its ear with its back foot.

"Thats what I thought" she said testily. Her head fell back to stare at the dark sky, her thoughts roiling. Several seconds of thinking passed before something clicked.

 _That kind of fox isn't native to this region_ , she realized. She looked back at the creature, at first not finding it. Searching around, she finally located his tail, some fifty feet away and gaining distance. She sighed, deciding it didn't matter.

Turning back, she reviewed her actions over the past couple of days. Thinking about how much of a bitch she had been acting was enough to drag a bitter giggle from her. Shaking her head, she straightened her stance in preparation. A rather crazy plan was taking form in her mind as she addressed the killers she hired to protect her.

"Alright, we're done here. Lets hit up a place for some grub" she announced. No sooner did they chorus "kay" did her phone go off. Wrinkling her brow, she took the device out of her pocket to place it by her ear. Her half smile she formed in the interim vanished quickly. Fifteen seconds after she answered she clicked it off. The feeling of disappointment was almost palpable.

"Change of plans" she announced. Groans sounded out.

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 _Twenty minutes later..._

"Miss Hekmatyr" greeted the police captain in a neutral tone.

Koko couldn't help but compare the thick man in front of her to the captain in Dubai. They both had spotless uniforms, both acted professionally, and both had spartan offices. The only differences seemed to weight, and attitude. The Dubai captain did not like her much but kept his bias to himself. This man on the other hand was hardly making an effort to keep his disgust in check. The other uniformed man that hovered behind her wasn't making it any easier.

"Captain. May I ask why you've brought me in here?" she asked in kind. Little worry was in her thoughts; HCLI's legal team would get her out of jail in two or three days, assuming the men didn't break her out first.

The man behind her tossed a sheaf of papers on the desk. Ignoring him, she looked over the short stack, realizing they were photographs. It looked to be an RV that had seen better days, even before whatever it was that splattered blood all over the place. Flipping through them, she found more grisly pictures. The bodies were still in place, showing the messy deaths of two men. She noted the dates in the corner indicated they were took the day before.

"Disturbing. But" she looked back to the captain with a hard expression "I must ask what this has to do with me" she said politely. The glare from the man behind her tried to burn holes in her back, to no avail.

"Two reasons. First off, two months prior there was an altercation in Dubai. I'm sure you know what I'm referring to" he began derisively. She nodded, unfazed.

"Our forensic team's results closely coincided with the autopsy report the Dubai coroner submitted" he explained loftily, as if he was personally responsible. Koko raised her eyebrow, her surprise temporarily overcoming her scorn.

"Thats ridiculous" she shot, her composure fractured. He smirked.

"The results speak for themselves" he gloated. She schooled her features back to normal.

"I have an airtight alibi for the past two days. Call the Harappa hotel. They'll verify my whereabouts" she retorted.

The fat captain picked up the phone and dialed, either unable to get someone else to do such a demeaning task, or wishing to catch her in a lie himself. He spent close to ten minutes on the phone, his smirk sinking into a scowl. Finally he hung up, glaring at her. It took much of her willpower to keep her features neutral and not smirk back.

"Very well. Sergeant" he indicated to the man behind her. Another sheaf was dropped by her, much smaller than the one prior. Picking the first up, her blood ran cold at what it was. A picture of a paper, displaying a number of facts about her. Flipping through, she found that it was more of the same, for all of her men.

"This group was wanted in several countries for murder, as well as suspicion of mafia connections" he explained, a trace of anger still present.

"Hitmen. And I was their target" she said, her voice hollow.

"Precisely. This sort of things don't happen to decent folk. So what kind of activities do you-" she shot a hostile glare at the captain, stopping tirade in its tracks.

"You called me here to tell me assassins were after me, and you think I'm guilty?" Koko demanded angrily. She was guilty in fact; less than an hour ago she murdered a man in cold blood, but he didn't need to know that.

"This is procedure. Your name was on these documents, and the survivor was in no-" she shot to her feet, startling both men.

"We're done here. If you want to make a fuss, you'll be hearing from my lawyers" she vowed. Ignoring their protests, she strode out of the room.

Locating an elevator, Koko dashed inside before anyone else and shut the door. Alone inside, she slumped against the wall and sighed raggedly. Much of her indignation was an act, but not all. A distressing amount of it was fueled by fear. Thinking it over, she realized coldly that with three of her team gone she was much less protected than usual. If whoever it was hadn't killed those men, she could have been in someone's crosshairs at that time.

All seven of the men were waiting in the lobby for her, making her quietly sigh in relief.

"Hey Koko. How'd it go?" Lehm asked. The resentful looks of the local cops went ignored.

"Awful. Turns out some hitmen got whacked. I was the target" she answered, drawing shock glances.

"Whoa. Shit, talk about dodging a bullet" Tojo said amazedly.

"No kidding. Lets get back to the hotel. I need a shower" Koko said tiredly, strolling out the front door with the men fanning out around her. A sense of deja vu occurred to her, but thankfully no CIA agent started yelling after her. If one did she was liable to break his nose herself.

Once in the car outside, the captain's description of the murders drifted back to her. By the sound it matched only one person she knew of. She dismissed the foolish thought, the facts she knew for certain made it impossible. Common sense supported the conclusion. Why would the girl be there? How would she know they were after her? Why would she leave someone alive? Yet...

She grabbed her phone to make a call to Schokolade, craving answers.

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Jonah awoke. He lifted his head, quickly scanning the tiny motel room. From his semi-comfortable place on the thin bed, he possessed a good vantage point over the entire room. The first place he checked was the second bed beside his own, suspicion growing. Valmet was still lying on the other bed, sound asleep. Her shorter hair was a mess in the pale light from the window.

He quietly breathed a sigh of relief, briefly wondering what it was that woke him up. Laying back down, he spent what felt like half an hour staring at the ceiling, trying to fall back asleep. Rest eluded him however. Failing to fight back the urge, he finally got up off the bed, carefully avoiding the side between the two beds. The girl was sleeping there for some reason, wrapped up in a spare blanket. She claimed the mattress 'smelled bad' and made it clear she didn't mind the floor.

Jonah stepped outside, opening and closing the door as carefully as he could to minimize noise. Not only to keep the women sleeping, but for the sake of other guests in the small building. He grabbed his boots first, idly thinking of going for a walk. The boy wasn't convinced it would do the trick, but it was better than nothing. And there was no way he was going to chance drugs with what they had planned.

A few lights shown from the other rooms of the hotel, joining with the light of the half moon in the sky to keep it from being entirely dark. Enough for him to move around without effort. Glancing back at the single story motel, he made a mental map to navigate around. Especially in case Valmet decided she didn't need their help after all and spirited away while he wasn't looking. In spite of all her assurances he didn't let the possibility slip his mind.

A yawn forced its way past him, making him reconsider his walk. He located a small bench, set up by the reception building. Being only a stone's throw from their room, he felt it was as good as place to rest as any other. Taking a seat, he double checked his surroundings, both to be sure he could see the room well enough and to check for thieves. Finding the first satisfactory and the latter nonexistent, he let himself relax some.

He tensed up quickly when he spotted their door opening again. In a second he was up to approach them. A pale form slunk out the door, making even less noise than he did. Once he was about ten feet away he stopped, raising an eyebrow. Black Rock Shooter snapped her head around, just as alert as he was. Both of them stared at each other for a moment (Jonah noticed that she didn't have her coat on), neither willing to make the first move.

At last Jonah cleared his throat, forcing himself to look away. The girl stood up straight, doing the same. She brought her phone up to type out her words, stepping closer to him so he could read the screen.

 _Got up saw u wher out went to look 4 u_ , she said by proxy.

"I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk. I guess I woke you up. Sorry" he apologized. She shook her head, retracting her phone for a moment.

 _Its ok_ , it read.

"Alright. You head back in, I'll be back shortly" he told her. She didn't move, and her brow creased. Jonah had a feeling of what was about to happen, based off of previous experience.

He turned to stride away, intent on avoiding the inevitable question. With his eyes on the ground, he saw the faint flash of patterned light from behind him before he traveled five paces. Slowly turning his head around, he saw her standing in place, a furrowed brow on her face and a sword in her hand. In her other hand was her phone, which he was close enough to read when she raised it.

 _U answer my question now_. One look told him she wasn't going to be turned down this time.

"Fine" he said lowly. Gesturing for her to follow, he walked back to the reception bench. A brief flash of light told him she dismissed the weapon, calming him down a little (as much as he didn't want to admit it). He took one side of the bench, she took the other. He had a resigned expression, she wore an expectant one.

Jonah sighed quietly.

"You wanna know why I never smile around Koko" he stated. In the gloomy light, he saw her nod.

"Where should I start, five months ago? Or four years ago? Your pick" he asked her.

 _What hapened 4 years ago?_ her phone asked in her place.

"My family died" he answered blandly. She tilted her head, indicating confusion.

"You don't know what a family is, do you?" he asked. She shook her head, making him lean his own back.

"I figured. Your home didn't look like it had stuff like that" he said cooly. Her scowl was as clear as day. As he watched, she forced it down, taking a deep breath to suppress her irritation before she waved him on.

"Anyway, four years ago my village was bombed. Some dispute between some power groups, I never did learn the reason. A few kids and I were the only ones who survived" he went on.

"The official army of my country arrived the next day, took us in. Instead of putting us in an orphanage, the commander kept us attached to his battalion. The other kids, four in total, were put to work doing little stuff. Fetching water, sewing up uniforms, things like that. I on the other hand was put into basic training. His alpine unit was short on manpower" Jonah explained. Glancing over, he saw that she was watching him intently. Whether she understood anything he was saying or not was a mystery.

"You know, in most countries you have to be a certain age to join the military. Wiley told me that in america the youngest you can get in is seventeen, and only if your parents let you. Forcing me to join in like that was actually illegal" he remarked. Her hand flew over her phone's screen.

 _Why did you?_

"No choice. The commander told me that they didn't have a lot of supplies. Keeping five useless mouths to feed, his words not mine, wasn't an option. And he didn't want to hand us over to the government. It was simple really. They would do little things to make the soldiers lives easier, and since I was able bodied I could be put into service. Earn our keep, he said" Jonah explained.

 _Thats y you dont smile?_ Black Rock Shooter asked. He shook his head.

"No. Thats just what happened four years ago. The real reason was five months ago" he said, his eyes becoming unfocused as memories replayed in his mind. Her second irate scowl went unnoticed.

"I and the other orphans were transferred to a static base. In the battalion things were hard, but the soldiers understood what we went through. They were nice, treating us like little brothers or sisters. I still kinda miss them. In the new base we didn't know anyone. First day the commander told us to our faces we shouldn't expect an easy life. He was right."

The look on his face told the girl he wasn't entirely with her at the moment. She felt like intervening, but a feeling told her it was better if she didn't interrupt.

"Five months ago, a new person showed up at the base. His name was Yusuf Gasud. The vice-commander told the soldiers he was a journalist, but none of us believed him. I've seen journalists before, he didn't act like one. The man kept with the commander a lot, touring the base. Every time I saw them, they were always talking in low tones" his eyes were glossy, showing he was no longer in the present.

"The commander didn't like giving them any more rations than was absolutely necessary. For the orphans, it was a few scraps per day. I sneaked them some of mine whenever I could. When I got caught, he didn't punish me. The commander grabbed one of them, Malka. Dragged her off, saying since she was such a pig she could do something useful. Punched me when I volunteered to go instead" Jonah's voice was starting to become hollow, and she noticed he was clenching his fists.

"I found out later they took her on a mission. A group we were fighting laid a mine field, and they didn't have the equipment to check it. So, they made her walk through it. She stepped on one-" his voice clenched, his eyes squeezing shut to try to reign in his emotions. A minute passed before he could speak again.

"She was ten years old. Too young to be there. Too young to die. She deserved better" he muttered hostilely. A tap on his shoulder surprised him, showing him the girl's phone with text written out.

 _What happend?_ He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly to regain some of his self control.

"They didn't trust me. Whenever I was not on duty my weapon was locked up. But I had a standard issue combat knife. That night I hid the kids in the safest spot I knew of, and used the knife to kill one of the sentries. I took his rifle and all the ammo I could carry" he looked away, perhaps in shame.

"I started shooting. Every soldier I came across, I killed. They panicked, to them I was practically a ghost. Alpine units are meant for reconnaissance, scouting out enemy positions before they can spot you. In the dark, I was the reaper. There was almost a hundred soldiers at that base. When I was done, there wasn't any" he said darkly.

Black Rock Shooter stared, enraptured at his story.

"I found the commander and Yusuf in one of the hangars. They were arguing about something, I didn't care enough to find out. I killed the commander and put a gun to the man's forehead. Found out then he was an arms dealer" out of the corner of his vision he saw the girl's brow furrow.

"Yeah, like Koko. The bastard thought he could try to buy me off with a suitcase of money, to convince me to spare him. I just murdered everyone else in that base to get to him, and he thought a wad of paper would save him" Jonah chuckled bitterly. She didn't need to ask what happened to the man.

"Thirty seconds after that I felt someone's presence. Smoke bombs came through the window, so I couldn't see. I was in a chokehold before I even knew what happened. She told me she was impressed by my skills before she knocked me out. Last thing I heard was Mishka. Its russian for bear cub" he answered her questioning glance.

"When I woke up, there was a man in front of me. Pale, smiling. He introduced himself as Kaspar Hekmatyr. Yeah, he's Koko's brother" he told her, making her head tilt. He looked away, something blazing in his eyes.

"He told me everything. They weren't going to sell any weapons to the base, they were trying to convince them to leave. He was part of a special interest group that wanted to build a new highway through the country, our base was in the way. Out of all things, Malka died for a road" Jonah's hands clenched once more.

"He told me that he didn't approve of what I did, but he couldn't fault me for it either. He said I was skilled. Then he told me that he was the one who sold the weapons to the group that bombed my village. He was, indirectly, responsible for the death of my family. After that, he said I had to be punished for killing one of his men. I was locked in a cargo container with nothing but water" he explained, anger tightening his tone.

"I banged and screamed, but no one came. I was all alone, with a box of water bottles to keep me company. The only thing that kept me from going insane" he didn't see her stiffen "was the thought of vengeance. I wanted to kill that bastard more than anything else. My anger, my hate. It was all I had" he said hoarsely.

"I don't know how long I was in there. But when he finally opened it again, I was weak. Hunger saps your strength more than anything else. I promised myself I would choke the life out of him, but I couldn't even stand. He laughed when I tried to gnaw his ankles" the girl tried imagining him that weak, finding herself unable to.

"He offered me a job. I had skills he wanted, in exchange, he would take care of the kids. They would go to this place called Japan, get free schooling up until they graduated from high school. I would be a bodyguard for his sister, also an arms dealer. If I refused, he would leave me and the kids there with some money and some food. We could try our luck with one of the patrols from a nearby base when they arrived, or we could try running" he explained softly.

 _Did you take it?_ Her phone asked.

"I'm here aren't I? The kids are in a foreign school in Japan. As much as I hate Kaspar, he's a man of his word. They're safe. I'm here" he looked back to the sky, sadness on his features.

"Thats why I don't smile when Koko's around. My family died because of arms dealers. I am a killer because of arms dealers. Malka is dead because of arms dealers. And I travel with an arms dealer" he finished. He looked over, half expecting her to be staring blankly at him. Black Rock Shooter nodded, raising her phone.

 _Thank you_ , it read. Jonah glanced away into nothingness.

"Don't mention it" he murmured. Several seconds of silence passed before she typed something else out.

 _Wats a family?_ He raised an eyebrow, not expecting such a question.

"Oh, um. A family is, um, a group of people you care about and love" he answered hesitantly. She nodded, her brow furrowing as her gloved fingers danced over the screen.

 _The others are your family. Lehm valmet koko_ , it read.

"Well..." thinking it over, he found her reasoning solid "I guess so" he said with a shrug. More typing followed before she showed him again.

 _Those kids are 2 rite?_ she asked.

"Yeah. They are" he murmured.

 _Did you love malka?_ Black Rock Shooter asked after a moment. His features tightened.

"What do you know about love?" he said testily. She suddenly stood up, ignoring his questioning look. Stepping in front of him, she regarded him with a cold expression.

Her fist caught him in the jaw.

Reeling from the pain, Jonah immediately realized she didn't put much force into the blow. She had enough power to knock a grown man three times her size off of his feet, something that could easily put him out cold, or just kill him outright. Not that it was light either, his head jerked to the side, forcing the air out of him. Gingerly feeling the imprint she left, he looked up to her, stupefied. She wore a hard expression, typing something out while she stared at him.

 _I no about love. I no about heartbreak. Say a thing like that again and ill kill you_ , her phone read. He shakily nodded.

Black Rock Shooter turned and left, going back to the motel room where Valmet was still sleeping away. Between his heavy breaths of pain, Jonah was left wondering what she meant by that.

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 **A/N: changed my mind, spilt it one last time. The next chapter is the certified last-excuse me- _LAST_ chapter of Lost in Transition. Speak what you want, for soon it will be over.**

 **That means please leave a review. Your silence makes me sad.**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Gird your loins people.**

 _Fánróng Refinery, the next day..._

"Here we go" Valmet murmured under her breath.

She and Black Rock Shooter approached the checkpoint, trying to display an air of passivity. The girl was bedecked in her full attire, missing only the new SIG she left back at the hotel in Alexandria. Valmet wore a black shirt, black pants, and black gloves, all standing out in stark relief against her pale skin. A small khaki knapsack was slung over her back, and two pouches were on her belt. At first glance the two could be mistaken for siblings.

A brief look showed the woman the girl was calm, her features blank. She was certain that she felt some measure of fear (Valmet hadn't lied to them about what they were up against), but if she did she wasn't showing it. Turning her attention back to the small shack guarding the only road into the facility, she focused on her task. She cleared her mind, unwilling to let any mistakes come to pass

Once the pair was fifty feet away the shack's door opened, two guards on airy clothing exiting. Rifles were slung over their shoulders, and baseball caps obscured their faces from the bright sun. They took up opposite positions on both sides of the road, one lifting a flat palm to the women. The two stopped ten feet away, warily eyeing the guards.

"This is private property" the halting guard said loudly.

"Do you have an appointment? If you don't we have to ask you to leave" the other said. He lifted his head some to get a better look at the two, showing smooth chinese features.

"This is the place alright. You ready?" Valmet asked the girl, who nodded.

"If you're here for work the factory isn't even open yet-" the first began.

In the blink of an eye Valmet's twin knives were out, already going for the guard. He tried to scream, but his throat was slashed before he could do anything. The other was just as slow, unable to do a thing about the boot hitting his head hard enough to break his neck. While she was in motion from the blow Black Rock Shooter's sword was already materializing, mostly formed when the revolution brought it around.

Both stopped breathlessly, exchanging understanding looks as two bodies fell to the hot ground.

"Good hunting" Valmet muttered before she sprinted off, taking the left side. Black Rock Shooter charged straight ahead, both of her weapons already forming.

In the main office building, Guoming Chen regarded the news with distasteful boredom.

"Two targets. Deal with them" he ordered banally to Li, who bowed in understanding before he left the Executive Director's office.

The next two targets in Valmet's path ended via a cut throat and a blade through the temple respectively. Panting, she took cover behind a thick wall, bullets beginning to pepper her position. She pulled the tiny duffel off of her shoulder to zip it open. Inside was the MP5K that Jonah helpfully decided to pack two days earlier, along with five full magazines. Ignoring the uncomfortably close gunfire, she loaded the weapon with practiced ease, replacing one of her knives to her belt.

The shooting suddenly shifted direction as bullets stopped hitting near her. Barely audible over the roar were screams, and the enemy's weapons fell silent one by one. She smirked; ultimately she wanted to do this alone (it was her own hellbent quest after all) but the girl was proving herself to be far more useful than she ever could've predicted. One more shot boomed before they ceased, giving Valmet her cue to move on.

Black Rock Shooter was having the time of her life. She leaped up a pillar like building, scaling to the top with inhuman agility. A quick dash across the top brought her to the other side's edge, where she plummeted back to the ground. The three soldiers she spotted going behind it a few seconds ago were still there, snapping their heads up just in time for her attack. Bunched up like they were, she was able get them all at once.

The first received a blue bolt to his chest, blasting him back. The second she slashed across his neck, slashing his jugular in the process. The last she landed her feet on his shoulders, her momentum knocking him to the ground. Before she dashed off once again she delivered a stomp to his neck, crushing his throat. She needed a moment to realize she was grinning.

Li needed a few minutes to get into position. Since the refinery was set into a small depression, there were a number of short ridges that overlooked the facility. Meaning he had numerous locations he could use to get a good vantage point, to get the best use out of his customized SVU rifle. He shelled out quite a bit for the weapon, but in his opinion it was worth every yuan he spent. A smile took ahold of him as he lifted the weapon, peering down the sights. In seconds he had a target.

"What do you know" he murmured, spotting a girl with a long flowing coat and a sword in one hand "she was telling the truth. Oh well" he figuratively shrugged. Before he could fire she vanished around a corner. He cursed, searching for her. Instead he found the other intruder, a submachine gun in one hand and a knife in the other. He lead her easily, certain of his ability to hit her. He smirked, pulling the trigger.

A shot rang out.

"Hold on, that didn't sound right" Li said confusedly, frowning. His rifle had a distinct report, much lower than the shot he just heard.

Something warm and wet ran down his forehead, stumping him further. He daubed a finger to see what it could be, discovering with surprise that it was blood. Crunching dirt from behind him made him turn around, the puzzled look still on his features. A brown skinned boy, no older than fifteen, was standing a short distance away, a gun in his hands. Staring impassively, the boy fired again.

Jonah picked up the rifle, noting immediately how well made it was. Numbers crossed his mind of how much money the owner sunk into the weapon, even the lowest estimate boggling him. He gave the cooling corpse a look of bemusement before he looked down the sights himself. He spotted a target taking aim at a running Valmet, putting a bullet in the man's back before he knew what hit him.

Valmet stopped, the man she was about to kill falling over with a red stain on his back. Snapping her head over, she spotted a figure on a ridge over looking her position. The figure, too far away to make out any details, raised one arm high. She had a feeling it, he rather, was giving her a thumbs up. Shaking her head, she took of again, smiling.

Her target approached: the main administration building. Knifing another guard, she recklessly charged at the door, and its dozen men aiming at her. In response she raised the MP5, which she hadn't used until now, and squeezed the trigger. Only a couple of them had the sense to dive for cover when the hail of bullets came their way, scattering in opposite directions while their comrades in the center were torn up, dying before they could so much as scream.

The few on the right escaped immediate death; the few on the left merely delayed it. A strange sound, not unlike a gunshot, took one's life. Black Rock Shooter dash at them to swipe her weapons out in a wide arc. A panicked guard was beheaded, his comrade was hit with the full weight of her cannon, sending him flying. Still moving, her cannon was charging for another shot, which she let loose at the other side.

Working together, Valmet sprayed the group with nine millimeter rounds while the girl fired blue bolts. Daxinghai guards died, one after another. When the last fell both women ceased fire, letting the ringing sounds that accompanied a gunfight briefly take over. Out of the corner of her eye Valmet spotted someone, quickly whipping her borrowed gun around, the girl a second behind her. A lone guard was trembling thirty feet away from them, the barrel of his rifle visibly twitching. He suddenly dropped the weapon, turning to run. He made it ten feet before a gun boomed, and he fell.

"Alright" Valmet said softly, lowering her borrowed weapon.

She turned to the admin building's door, determination filling her. Testing the door, she found it, unsurprisingly locked. Fortunately she had a skeleton key, in the form of a girl. After quickly explaining what she wanted Black Rock Shooter raised her cannon and fired, blasting a large hole where there was a doorknob. A kick from Valmet was all that was needed to open it fully. She started to enter, but stopped as she noticed the girl wasn't moving.

"You coming?" she asked. The girl shook her head, pointing inside. She pulled out her phone to type something out, presenting it to her.

 _Good hunting_ , it read. It took her a moment to understand, making her smile when she did.

"I will" she promised. Sparing one last glance at the girl, Valmet ran inside.

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Karen awoke, bolting up from the couch she collapsed in earlier.

"No" she murmured in fear. A terrible feeling of dread clawed at her, shoving aside rational thought. She was dressed an out the door before she knew what happened, grabbing her keys and her gun.

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Chen stayed where he was, waiting.

He had aged badly over the years, but he tended to act more feebly than he really was. Though his legs were crippled he could hear just fine. Over the radio channel he heard his men dying one by one, many accompanied by the particular whish sound that hinted a bladed weapon. Two hostiles turned into three, eliminating the 'discharged' Daxinghai contractors. His reaction to their deaths was a pursed lip, a sign of disappointment. Their deaths were regrettable, but it wasn't like there was a shortage of PLA volunteers that wanted to see the wider world.

When the radio fell silent, he listened to the building. He heard the sound of the admin building's door being blasted away, distant but audible. Some gunfire sounded out, all of it from the few remaining guard's weapons. They started and stopped quickly, a slight scream accompanying them. Each one was closer to his office than the last. He wasn't surprised in the least.

At long last, his door blew open by the sheer force of the woman kicking it.

"Found you" she said breathlessly. Chen smiled.

"So you have" he replied warmly. The woman regarded him cooly, noting the twin bayoneted pistols stuck in the expensive looking wooden desk.

"You know why I'm here, Guoming Chen" she said lowly.

"Indeed. Its hard not to when you walk through the front gate shooting" he jested. She smiled cruelly.

"Before you die I want you to know something" she said simply.

"Your name? Major Sofia Valmer, ex-Major rather, of the Finnish Rapid Deployment Force, Jaeger regiment. Thats what your file says anyway" he answered with a wave.

"Thats right. Eight years my squad and I were part of a UN peacekeeping mission in Africa. I was the only survivor" she explained coldly. Still smiling, Chen casually lit a cigar.

"I remember that day. I don't recall everyone I've killed, but I do remember those I haven't. For instance, your boss, Hekmatyr" he replied, his smile widening a notch at seeing her stiffen.

"In your case, thats something thats been bothering me for a long time now. I counted my kills, and they didn't match what my intel report said. I looked all over, but for the life of me I couldn't find the survivor. Where were you hiding?" Chen asked her. Her deepening scowl told him more than her tightened lips.

"If I had to guess, I would say you hid under the corpse of one of your men" he answered quizzically.

"Shut up" she mumbled dangerously.

"Which in turn makes me wonder..." Chen put a finger to his chin in thought.

"Shut up" Valmet repeated, louder.

"Did he just happen to fall on you or did you pull him over yourself?" he finished. The infuriated woman stomped the ground, rage shaking her entire body.

"I said shut up!" Valmet snarled. He smiled, completely at ease.

"I suppose it doesn't matter. You'll be dead in a few minutes" Chen said sadistically.

The old man rose to his feet, his arms helping in the endeavor. She could easily see how much pain he was in, as well as the monumental effort he put in to keep it at bay. Only then did she see; rippling muscles wormed under the skin of his arms. Once up his hands snatched the grips of his two pistols, faster than she could've imagined, to yank them out of the hardwood desk. His lowered head partly concealed his grin.

"I may look old, and I can no longer move as I once did. But you would be a fool to think that I can't kill you just as easily as I killed your men. Do you have any last words?" Chen demanded triumphantly.

Valmet brought her knife up to eye level in preparation, grinning.

" _Hakkaa Päälle_ " she answered calmly.

Hack them down.

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Jonah swiftly marched, intent on linking up with the women. The plan, hammered out the previous day, was going swimmingly. It made him redouble his efforts, knowing that this was the point when things tended to to wrong. After a short distance carrying the customized rifle, he reluctantly decided to drop it. Its lack of a full auto function rendered it useless for the cramped space of the refinery. To compensate he scavenged a fallen guard's rifle.

His pace slowed when he approached the administration building. Fearful of an ambush, he kept searching his surroundings in paranoia. It was made worse when he found the main entrance and found it empty of a living soul. Bodies littered the area, most bearing gunshot wounds. A few had slash marks large and small, and a couple had large scorch marks over them. Yet there was no sign of its source.

Fixated on the large pile of corpses, he didn't realize there was someone behind him until it was too late. He spun around as fast as he could, bringing the stolen weapon up. On the opposite end of the sights was a large ornate black object, shaped like a tube. The yawning black of the barrel's opening unconsciously made his skin crawl. Letting out a breath, he lowered his rifle. Black Rock Shooter did the same.

"You got me" he hesitantly admitted. She smirked victoriously, her cannon vanishing.

"Valmet?" he asked. She pointed towards the wrecked door, making him nod.

"And you?" he asked after a moment. The girl raised a fist with the thumb pointed skywards.

"Kay. Lets go" he said, starting to take a step towards the door. A crack, loud without anything to drown it out, brought his attention back to her. She stood in place, one balled up fist in her other hand. Staring with a cold gaze, she slowly shook her head.

"But she needs help" he protested. Again she shook her head, one of her hands dropping to her hand to clench. He took the hint, testily standing where he was.

Gunshots from inside made him tense up. It took most of his willpower to not charge through the broken door, knowing that the girl would stop him before he made it far. Various scenarios of how to go anyway crossed his thoughts, none of them feasible. His frustration built up until he was actively considering one of the more extreme options to get by her. Fortunately, before he decided to go through with it, he heard footsteps from the hallway.

Backing off a few feet, Jonah pointed the rifle at the door. A chinking sound indicated that Black Rock Shooter was doing the same. He waited, hearing the footsteps grow louder. They weren't hurried, meaning whoever they belonged to was moving at a sedate pace. His anxiety grew, wishing for the walker to hurry up and get it over with. The owner at last stepped through the door.

"Valmet" Jonah said with muted surprise, lowering the gun. The one eyed woman gave him her own surprised look, switching between him and the gun. The girl walked over to her (toeing her way around a body) to show her her phone's screen. She nodded.

"Its done" she answered.

Jonah saw at once something about her was different. It was the way she carried herself, and the look in her eye. She was much more relaxed than any other time that he'd ever seen her, much calmer. Almost happy even. It was if a great weight had finally been lifted off of her shoulders, and for the first time in recent memory, she was free. Noticing his puzzled expression, she smiled warmly.

"I'll tell you what happened later, but for now, we better get out of here before someone comes" she told him. Turning to the girl, she asked "would you mind finding us a working car?" Black Rock Shooter nodded, sprinting off. The boy and the woman watched her for a moment, until she vanished out of sight. The two started to walk, quiet until he decided to speak.

"So...what did happen in there?" Jonah asked, turning to her. He didn't notice at first, but when he did he did a double take; her knife was missing. She noticed it and let out a quiet breath.

"That man in there, Guoming Chen. He was the one who killed my squad eight years ago, not very far from here actually. I felt so torn up over it, it was all I could think about. It was all that kept me from going crazy" she began, unknowingly echoing his own words just the night before.

"I started training with a knife, determined to find him and kill him. I trained so hard, so focused on what I was doing, that I never realized something. It was only when we fought that team in South Africa did I realize that I was actually emulating his fighting style" she shook her head in bemusement.

"What're going to do now?" he asked.

"He left such a big impact on me, and it never even crossed my mind. No more. From this day forward, I'm giving up the blade" she answered decisively.

"Are you going back to the others?" Jonah asked pointedly. She glanced at him in surprise, before a wry smile came over her.

"Of course I am. Silly" she answered, playfully tapping him on the shoulder. He casually deflected the blow, smiling himself. He let the rifle fall from his hold.

"I'm glad" he said.

Staring upwards, she mumbled "me too."

The entrance checkpoint was as they left it, two bodies included. They both glanced around, seeing neither any vehicles, nor a sign of the girl. Jonah was sweeping his head around, when by chance he saw a glint in the horizon. Staring over the hazy ground, he thought he saw something shiny. Raising an eyebrow, he wondered what it could be. Valmet noticed, peering with a hand over her brow to block the bright sunlight.

Coming closer, the glint took the form of a red car, a large plume of dust trailing it. She raised an eyebrow herself, giving the boy a questioning glance which he replied with a shrug. The car grew until identifiable details came into focus. Jonah was suddenly struck by an uncomfortable feeling, wishing that he hadn't dropped the scavenged rifle. He drew his sidearm as the car finally pulled up to the pair, Valmet doing the same.

The red car came to an abrupt stop, its owner stomping on the brakes to make it swerve to the side. Both of the bodyguards raised a hand to block out the cloud of dirt that was following it, briefly coughing. Though his eyes were hazy, Jonah could clearly hear the engine shut off, followed by the sound of the door opening. All of his senses went off when he heard the first gunshot.

Valmet saw what was going to happen, and was faced with a stark choice. With no time to think it over, she did the only thing she could; she grabbed the boy to pull him close to her, putting herself between him and the shooter. The first two shots went wild; the next four did not. One after another they struck her, her body taking each blow. Without even being aware of it she screamed in pain.

The gun clicking empty, Karen lowered the gun to wail at the sky.

All of Jonah's thoughts narrowed down to one point. He absentmindedly pushed the freshly limp Valmet aside, making sure to keep one of his arms around her. Her weight was too much, there was no way he could hold her with just one. But he didn't need long, just enough time to line up his pistol with the woman. Aligning the sights of the weapon with practiced ease, he fired.

Karen hadn't moved, all but catatonic with her current state of mind. Jonah's first shot went through her shoulder, bringing her back to reality for all of two seconds before the second bullet tore through her chest. Her eyes, wide and unfocused, slipped closed as she fell. The gun fell from her limp grasp, none of her all consuming grief lasting past her own oncoming darkness.

Black Rock Shooter skidded to a stop, her eyes wide. The first gunshot made her abandon her quest to run towards the sound, fearing the worst. Each one that followed it made her speed up, until her lungs were burning for air and her legs crying out in protest. When she found them, she saw she was too late. Dark anger overcame her, and she pushed her screaming muscles forward for one last goal.

She stopped beside the woman, recognizing her at once as the foe Valmet dueled with in the mountains so far away. Before she left her be; it was rude to barge in on a fight without a good reason, and they assured her that she was no longer a threat. Her lips pursed in bitter amusement, wishing she could show them what happened when a foe was left alive. Bringing her sword up, she placed her flat palm on the edge of the grip with the point staring at her throat.

" _Rock_!" Jonah screamed. For a second she hesitated, her desire to kill the woman warring with the urge to help the boy.

"Come help me, she's still alive!" he shouted. Though blood was freely leaking from the fallen woman, she could see easily her chest moving, making his statement puzzle her.

"its Valmet!" he shouted at last. Glancing over, he saw that he was doing something, desperately trying to help her. Her head switched between the woman she had to help and the woman she had to kill, her face cringing in indecision. Snarling, she dropped the sword from her hands to dash at the pair.

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 _Days later..._

Valmet awoke. The fog of sleep slowly lifted from her mind, bringing in an influx of sensory information, for a moment too much. Bright light, a host of sounds, and searing pain from her abdomen. Unconsciously she groaned, clenching her eye shut. The pain possessed a dulled edge that nonetheless clung to her, making each breath agony. Taking in a deep breath, she heard a familiar chuckle.

"Morning babe" said an amused voice. Her lone eye snapped open, moving to the side of the bed.

"Koko" she said disbelievingly. The pale woman grinned.

"The one and only. How're you feeling?" she asked at once. Valmet looked away, towards the plainly tiled ceiling. Fully awake, she began to process the mass of information she initially received. Bright lights, a soothing breeze, a host of sounds; they came forward to one conclusion.

"Like shit. We're in a hospital?" she asked.

"Yep. A really nice one, two countries over" she answered.

"I should've figured" Valmet said ashamedly, recalling the events that brought her here. The boss put a hand in front of her to wag a finger at her.

"You've been a bad girl miss Velmer. Taking off in the middle of the night, dragging along a couple of kids, and acts of terrorism. I should ground you" Koko playfully listed off. The soldier blushed.

"And before you ask they're both fine. Rock twisted her ankle when we got you four aboard the chopper, but thats all" Koko said before she could say anything. Valmet frowned.

"Four?" she asked.

"I'll get to that in a minute. You on the other hand got shot four times, two to the chest, one to the shoulder, and one to the thigh. Jonah and Rock managed to patch you up in time, saved your life" Koko explained, shaking her head.

"I see. Are...are you mad?" Valmet asked her uncertainly. She smiled.

"Blindingly so" she said simply. She leaned back, showing another cleaned and pressed bed behind her.

"That bed belonged to a certain Karen Low" she started, making a scowl break out on the Finn's face "who, sometime last night, snuck out. Cleaned her sheets too, which was nice of her, but left me with a _long_ list of problems" she explained. A bulging vein popped on her forehead, making Valmet wary.

"Lets see, called in a favor to get an express military helicopter transport for you guys. Hospital bill for your injuries. Hospital bill for Karen's. A check up on Rock's ankle. Hush money for all of you for the doctors. Hush money for the transport. Oh, and more hush money to hide the kids's existence" Koko explained, cheerfully infuriated. An experiment on moving brought Valmet nothing but pain, leaving her stuck in place to face her wrath.

"So yeah, I'm pissed. But not at you" she said suddenly, her anger fading. She rise to her feet, adjusting her dress in the process.

"We've reached a whole new level with this incident. But I think we should give it a while before we do something like this again. So for now, you stay put and rest up. I'll stop back in later" she ordered.

"I will" Valmet answered, relieved. The pale woman turned to leave, but stopped to say something over her shoulder.

"By the way, I like the haircut. But it seems like something Major Valmer would take" she piped out before walking away, shouting at some awaiting doctors a moment later. Valmet leaned back, thinking over the conversation.

"Yeah, she's right. Loved her dress too" she said distantly. Her brow wrinkled as she realized what she just said out loud.

Outside the hospital's lobby doors, Koko found her two favorite headaches waiting for her.

"Hey guys. She's fine, probably already giving the doctors grief" she joked, both of the stoic not-so-innocent children quietly sighing in relief.

"Thats good" Jonah said quietly, Black Rock Shooter agreeing. Koko walked passed them, turning back with her pleased smile on.

"You two fancy a walk?" she asked. Neither spoke, and both fell in behind her.

Across the road from the well to do hospital (she still internally cringed at the rates they charged) was a concrete lined beach. Beyond spanned the amazing blue of the Mediterranean, still enough to grab her attention. The sidewalk on the ocean side was almost abandoned, leaving the odd group of three alone. She slowed down a little, letting Jonah pass her. He knew what was coming and did nothing to resist.

"What a day" she murmured, wrapping her arms around the boy. Glancing over, she saw the girl hop onto the ledge, toeing the precarious drop without a care. Her arms were outstretched to keep her balance, making Koko giggle.

"What?" he asked.

"She looks like a little kid right now" she answered. The girl heard them, leveling an annoyed look at her, making her all but crack up.

"Did we miss anything?" Jonah asked. Still chuckling, Koko let out a breath.

"Nah. That mafia deal was a bust, the idiots tried paying in drugs. I think from this point on I'm done selling guns to organized crime. I end up shooting them more than I seal the deal" she answered.

She recalled the incident with the police, deciding it wasn't something that they needed to hear.

"I see" he murmured.

"What about you two? Any trouble on your end?" she asked. Black Rock Shooter shook her head.

"Nothing major" Jonah remarked.

For a moment Koko pictured what it must have been like for them, traveling with Valmet for a road trip of vengeance. She was suddenly struck by a mental image of the two in a backseat of a car, asleep with their heads touching, oblivious to the world. She found it utterly adorable, so much so that she giggled without even realizing it. One of the subjects of her thoughts tilted his head up questioningly.

"Its nothing. Just remembered this joke" she lied. Jonah looked towards the ocean, a feeling in him he couldn't place for a moment, it was so rare.

For once, he was looking forward to the future.

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 **Omake: Shooting in Africa.**

Valmet saw what was going to happen, and was faced with a stark choice. With no time to think it over, she did the only thing she could; she grabbed the boy to pull him close to her, putting herself between him and the shooter. The first two shots went wild; the next four did not. One after another they struck her, her body taking each blow. Without even being aware of it she screamed in pain.

The gun clicking empty, Karen lowered the gun to wail at the sky.

" **CUT**!" All three killers snapped their heads over, partially unable to believe it was over. A man in tan clothes suited for the weather stomped towards Karen, grinning.

"Shelly-chan, you were fucking beautiful! That scream, it was fucking amazing!" Keitaro Motonaga, the director, praised. The woman smiled before she began to cough raggedly, raising a pointed finger upwards when she noticed his concerned look.

"Sorry, throat hurts" Shelly Calen-Black answered hoarsely. He nodded in understanding, his attention turning to the other two. Valmet had her back arched with her hands gingerly massaging her back, where the small BB sized charges linked to small bags filled with red goo went off. Jonah had his hands out, uncertain of what to do.

"Ow, ow, ow, that stings" Carli Mosier mumbled, her australian accent coming out in full.

"Um, what can I do?" Micah Solusod asked uncertainly.

"Nothing really. Actually, can you go get me a bottle of water?" she asked.

"Sure sure, be back in a sec" he answered, backing off.

"Um, one thing first. I didn't grab you too tight did I?" Carli asked worriedly.

"No, no. Well, a little. But's its fine" he hurriedly assured her falling look before darting off. She sighed in relief, peeling off the eyepatch she'd worn all day while continuing to mumble.

Micah walked past the array of cameras and mikes, brushing past the few crew that were moving around. The sun beat down on the searing Outback desert, substituting for North Africa. He made his way to the concession tables set up near the back, noting that one of the cast beat him to it.

"Hey Kana" he greeted. Kana Hanazawa quickly turned around, a cracker in her mouth standing out guiltily. She pried it out, looking uncomfortable.

"Micah-kun, I'm sorry" she apologized, her accent heavy.

"Its fine" he said, grabbing two water bottles. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that the japanese teenager's white makeup was beginning to smear. He pointedly ignored her outfit, just like every day they filmed together since august.

"You're going to want to get that fixed up" he advised, pointing at her. She noticed and sighed.

"This stuff is a pain" she bemoaned.

"At least filming is back on schedule. Look at this way, soon its going to be Miyuki's problem" he reassured. She nodded, a sloppy smile coming onto her.

"Yeah. I better call her, its been a while" Kana said distantly. Micah nodded as well, spotting someone out of the corner of his eye. It was one of the managers, holding a clipboard and waving at him.

"Mister Solusod, your mothers on line three" he said.

"Thanks, I'll be there in a bit" he called back. Glancing back over the table, he changed his mind and grabbed some snacks to take back, snagging another bottle for Shelly. Internally he sighed; Kana was pretty, nice, and a blast to hang out with. Too bad she swung the other way, otherwise he would've asked her out.

Juggling his arms full of stuff, he jogged back to the set.

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 **A/N: And there you have it folks. Its been a long and bumpy road, with more than a few setbacks. But now its official: Lost in Transition is completed. Not to say thats all, oh no. Theres a whole list of other things I plan to do in the future. Its going to be a while before they're out though, so in the meantime, thank you. Thanks reader for reading this all the way through (if you didn't I suggest going back and doing it) and for sticking with me all this time.**

 **So farewell, and until next-wait, who are you? How did you get in here!? Wait! No!-**

 *** _TRANSMISSION INTERRUPTED_ ***

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 **Epilogue: The Message.**

Koko's phone went off. Both Jonah and Black Rock Shooter looked at her questioningly. She raised an eyebrow herself as she grabbed her satellite phone, realizing it was silent. A few seconds of fumbling brought out her smartphone, the device she hardly ever used. Jonah, as the closest, glanced over it.

"I didn't know you had one of those" he commented.

"I forgot I did too" she agreed, swiping the screen open. The girl hopped off the ledge to walk over to them.

"Its an email. Weird, I didn't know I had this one set up for..." Koko trailed off, scanning the screen and its message. Both the boy and the girl exchanged concerned looks, made far worse when, switching back to her, they saw that her smile was gone.

Koko lowered the phone, a distant look on her features.

"Rock, I have a question for you" she said lowly. The girl tilted her head, frowning. Adopting her own, Koko showed her the email.

"Does this name mean anything to-" she stopped mid sentence, making Jonah look over himself. He saw Black Rock Shooter's expression, always calm, always reserved, twist into burning fury.

 _Thousands of miles away..._

The figure, obscured in the dark, looked away from the glowing computer screen to the three other forms in the dark.

"Its done. She'll get the message anytime" the figure, a woman, reported. The first, a tall and thin man, huffed satisfactorily. The second, much shorter, turned to the last.

"You sure about this?" he, obviously young, asked. The last stepped forward, coming into the muted light of the computer screen. It was an approximately fifteen year old girl, wearing a black dress. She nodded, the ribbed horns atop her head moving in tune. Her unnatural green eyes focused on the display.

"Entirely" Dead Master said.


End file.
